The Memories
by King3rosie
Summary: It's sixth year, and Draco and Harry are Triwizard Champions. Hermione, after a startling revelation, begins to help Draco on his way to the Cup. But in the meantime, the Dark Lord is rising in power, and chaos is descending. Will there be a happy ending? Dramione! With later Fremione! Read and review!
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

"But Drakieeeeee!" Pansy squealed in tears, as she processed that we were over. She ran off and cried to Greengrass over there, and I dragged Blaise to the library. I needed to study.

Sixth year was difficult. Pansy was being a cockroach, and the Dark Lord was beginning to become interested in my potential. Last year? I would have been thrilled. But not after what happened this summer...

"...And then he had the absolute nerve to continue kissing her! As if I WANT to see the Weasel and Flower-Face eat each other!" Blaise finished loudly. The Princess of the Library herself, Granger, stormed by, tears in her eyes. She was in love with the Weasel. Everyone knew it, EXCEPT for him. So pathetic. She was my assigned partner in Potions this year, Slughorn was big on interhouse unity. I didn't mind much, got good marks, as long as she kept her filthy Mudblood hands off of me. Better her than Potty and/or Weasel.

"Draco? Ya in there?" Blaise asked as he jokingly pushed me into the bookshelf.

"Y-yeah. Lets get a move on, I dont exactly LIKE thinking about Weasels eel-tongue." I bit back. Things between Blaise and I were rough lately after I refused to tell what had me stop talking to him until school started back up. He was my closest friend though, and I knew we would get through it.

"Naw, I finished. Besides, there's some very desirable Ravenclaws waiting for me," he said with a wink, "so I'm gonna go." He left, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Alone. That was an apt description as of right now. The Dark Lord had set the date of my marking. I could see my lifetime of servitude looming in the foreground of my future. And I hated it. Blaise knew, but he couldn't stop it. Nobody could.

I was alone.

My father was excited for my Marking. A regular chip off the old sodding block, he always said.

My mother wasn't excited at all. She despised the very thought of it. But she couldn't say or do anything that would suggest it. She only forgot that once...

A wet tear dripped from my cheek as I remembered her face before the Incident... My mother. Now, she was a broken beaten shell. And I, Draco Malfoy, wanted my mummy back.

I glanced around rapidly and cursed. What the bloody hell was I doing, crying in the library?! Somebody was bound to notice. I couldn't have everyone thinking that I, the Prince of Slytherin, was a crybaby!

I grabbed my stuff and got up to leave, when I heard a muffled sob. Me being me, I went to investigate.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I cried quietly over my book as I ran through what had just happened, looking for a sign of delusions or fantasy, anything to believe that this WASNT REAL. Even Harry...

I guess in all honesty, I was still beat up over Ron choosing Lavender over me. That stupid bimbo! But when he refused to believe me that I had in fact seen her and Seamus snogging on the third floor, it just made things worse. Now Harry was mad at me for "Lying", and Ginny wouldn't hardly talk to me. Luna understood, but she had left after last year to travel abroad. And there was Neville, but that was a whole different story.

Neville was the one who had let me cry on his shoulder when Ron chose Lavender, and he hasn't judged me. We had been close the past two weeks of school, but that didn't excuse what he had just done.

In front of the entire school, at breakfast, he had kissed me. Not just a little peck either, he went for it. It was a little weird, but my first response was to slap him. He looked at me with these big sad eyes, and ran off. Oh, oh Neville. Poor Neville.

I sobbed as I remembered Ron's look of disgust when I made it out of the wet folds of Neville's lips... He would never look at me the same. He wouldn't ever reciprocate these budding feelings I had for him. I might not even be part of the Trio anymore... Ugh.

A slender yet callused hand brushed the hair back out of my face, allowing me to see past my curtain of bushy brown hair into the stormy grey eyes of a man. A very blonde man. Who I did not expect to be looking at me with anything but disgust, let alone looking at me kindly and sitting quite close next to me.

I had found my sign. Delusions and hallucinations. I was schizophrenic.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

Her face was streaked with tears, she looked weak and broken, yet she still had the inner strength to muster up a weak glare and ask me a biting question.

"W-why are you touching me, Ferret? Go suck a snake. C-Can't you see I'm n-not in the mood?"

God she even stuttered when she was upset. That was... Strangely attractive. For a Mudblood.

"Calm down Granger, I just want to help you stop crying. Your sobs are disturbing my studies," I said cooly as I wiped a tear away from her dark lashes, "is this how you beat everyone in class?"

She looked surprised when I willingly made contact with her bodily fluids, and honestly I was surprised at myself. She snapped at me,

"Go annoy someone else. May I suggest that bitch you call a girlfriend?"

"Ex," I corrected her, "but watch your mouth. Who would suspect dirty words from a dirty blood?"

I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. She burst into tears and hid her face underneath a big mane of curls.

"Just go away. You're not helping at all. Why are you still here?!" She almost screamed

"Shhh," I whispered as I gently touched my finger to her lips, "I'm here to help you. What's wrong, Granger?"

I didn't even understand my motives. I didn't know why I let her rant to me about Weasel, I didn't know why I allowed her to cry into my chest, I didn't even know why I started talking back, until tears rolled down my face as well. All I knew was that she needed me, and in a way, I needed her. Which was strange, but whatever. My mother always told me, do what makes you happy, even if it doesn't make sense. Everything works out in the long run. Her advice didn't work out as well for her, I suppose.

"I have to go." I said abruptly, standing up and walking out, not noticing the confusion in her big brown eyes. I left for the dorm. Classes tomorrow, HER in potions before lunch.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

What happened last night? Malfoy, being decent? There had to be an ulterior motive... No way he would honestly be NICE to me... It did feel kind of good though, as everyone else was leaving me, to have the person I least expected start treating me like a person.

Why would he treat me like a person? He was Draco Malfoy for crying out loud! And he wiped away my tears... And cried in front of me. He told me things... Why would he, the enemy, do that?

Everyone else was going down to breakfast, but I needed to think. I headed down to the library with my Arithmancy homework, which was due in an hour. Blaise and Malfoy passed me, heading to breakfast, and nodded to me. I was even more confused... Were we friends now? Did crying on his shoulder make us friends? He had cussed at me and cursed me, made me cry, made me hate myself. Did him telling me about his mother negate that? Did me telling him about Ron negate it? Where were things going to go from here?

I shuffled off to Arithmancy, sitting in my usual spot next to Terry Boot. He smiled at me, and we resumed the calculations we worked on yesterday. The class was buzzing with excitement over something, Snape must have fallen sick or something of the like. Terry and I worked on in silence, however. It was long arduous work, but as I had taken maths until I went to Hogwarts, it came easily to me. My weekly-work was done before the class was over.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

She was pretty, with her brown hair framing her slender delicate face. The unsure way she glanced at me as I nodded to her made me realize she was confused as to what we were to do next, just as I was. Blaise coughed 'discreetly' and bumped me with his elbow, twice, before I noticed I was staring after her.

"Granger, huh?" He asked with a smile on his face, "Didn't take your type to be the nerds, thought more the 'Insufferable Sluts' looking at your past experiences."

I smirked. He was right, she was way different than the usual girls I dated. But we weren't dating, and we wouldn't be. She was too good for me, too much of a Gryffindor for my Death-Eater father. Being part of the Golden Trio didn't help...

"No, B, not the filthy mudblood," I said slowly, "Could you imagine what my father would say?"

He sniggered. "Exactly why you won't even admit it to yourself. You're still staring, you know."

I cursed and glanced down at the floor, before glaring at him. "Granger is of no interest to me."

"Whatever you say, Drakiepoo." Blaise replied with a wink.

I rolled my eyes and entered the Great Hall.

Dumbledore was standing up at the podium, rare for a breakfast. He gracefully flicked his wand towards his throat, and his voice became loud and booming.

"Dearest Students," he began, "I have a very important announcement to make. This year at Hogwarts, we shall host the Triwizard Tournament!"

The students roared. I was thrilled, this might be a way to finally show Father I was worth something. He seemed to doubt it a lot lately. To him, I was a piece in the Dark Lords puzzle.

Dumbledore interrupted my brooding by continuing his speech.

"The Triwizard Tournament is only for students 6th year and above. NO EXCEPTIONS. A champion from each school will be chosen, and the three wizards will go through each of the three tasks, being judged by myself and the headmasters of both Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Whoever has the most points at the end of the three tasks will become Champion, and will win 1,000 Galleons. If you succeed, you will win glory aplenty. Be warned, however. The three upcoming tasks involve peril unmatched by anything you have ever faced before."

I snorted. I was in line with the Dark Lord himself. Peril? No issue at all.

"The other two schools will arrive in four days," he continued, "and I must ask you all to be on your most astonishing behavior. Uphold the name of Hogwarts as your hearth and home. That is all."

The school buzzed with excitement, and I buzzed a little too. Blaise just sat there looking bored. Glory wasn't really his thing. Me however, I was going to win.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

After another lonely day, I was back in the library for break between classes. I had a serious issue with this place. It was my home away from home...

Blaise walked in and glanced around, looking for something. Maybe Malfoy. Didn't matter.

I went back to studying my notes for Potions. Having Malfoy as a partner was good for grades IN CLASS, but we never studied outside of class so the tests were slightly more difficult. A book bag plunked down onto the chair next to me. I looked up, into the hazel-brown eyes of Blaise Zabini.

"Granger," he nodded, taking out his books and beginning to read.

"What are you doing here?" I asked semi-harshly. Blaise wasn't very bad to me, never called me Mudblood, but still. He was a Slytherin. And one who was friends with Draco Malfoy at that.

"Studying." He replied shortly, glancing up with a grin on his face. He sometimes reminded me of a Slytherin Fred or George.

"You know what I mean, Zabini."

"Well, ever since Drakiepoo and Pansy went through that CRUSHING breakup-" we both rolled our eyes, "Slytherins have been treating him like he converted to a Hufflepuff. And I, being his best friend, and sticking by his side, have been lumped in with him. Now, if you look around the room, you see two tables with Slytherins, a table with a Gryffindor, and a table full of Ravenclaws who are mad at me cause I jumped their girlfriends. Which leaves you. Miss Princess of the Library would never deny anyone the opportunity to learn, would she?" He asked with a cheesy suck-up smile.

"Fine." I grumbled, going back to my book.

A few minutes later, I don't know how or why, we were engaged in an animated conversation about the Triwizard Tournament. He filled me in, as I missed the announcement.

"But how can Dumbledore let students enter? It's so 'fraught with peril' he has to put a disclaimer on it!" I objected.

Blaise replied with a small nod of agreement, and said "That's why I'm not entering. I like my life, no need to risk it for Glory and Galleons."

"Harry's entering." I realized as soon as he said glory.

"So's Draco." Was his reply.

"This will be interesting." I stated, waiting to hear about the cat fight for Hogwarts Champion. He agreed wholeheartedly, and we went back to our books as another person set their book bag on the stack and slid into the chair across from me.

"Hey Drake" Blaise said nonchalantly, "We were just talking about you."

"Oh really, gossiping like a bunch of Patils now B?" he said quietly, scrutinizing my face to read any signs of emotion.

"You're entering the Triwizard Tournament, I take it?" I asked him bravely, to which he simply nodded.

"You two do know class starts in thirty seconds, on the other side of the school?" He inserted dryly. I panicked and threw my stuff into my bag, dashing out with the two Slytherins laughing behind me.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

As the three of us were late to class, Snape had given us each detention for the next three Hogsmeade weekends. It blew chunks.

This dinner was to be an exciting one, the students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons were arriving! I was super excited to discover what form of studies they practiced overseas, but that would have to wait. For now, I simply watched the grand arrivals.

Beauxbatons was first, arriving on a giant onion-shaped carriage. The beautiful French girls bowed and twirled, dancing through the Great Hall, jumping and spinning and pirouetting gracefully up to the Professors Table, followed by the slightly larger Headmistress.

"Welcome, Madame Maxime." Said Dumbledore politely, bowing and kissing her hand. She let out a very non-feminine giggle, and took a seat at the end of the Professors Table. The students dispersed themselves among the four Houses.

Dinner went as usual dinners go, me sitting next to Neville watching him stuff his face, myself hardly eating. I usually snuck down to the kitchens to talk to the house-elves afterwards, and ate with them, so I hardly ate during dinner.

Durmstrang came during dessert. I didn't see their original arrival, but apparently they rose out of the Black Lake in a giant pirate ship. I saw when they entered the Great Hall though, there was a lot of stick-banging and loud strong movements. A lot of the Durmstrang boys looked tough, emotionless. It was a little scary, honestly. At least Ron showed some sort of face outside of Blank.

Headmaster Karkaroff sat next to Maxime stiffly, looking like there was something distasteful, as his students all filed out among the Houses. To my surprise, two Durmstrangs came to sit on either side of me. One was smiling in a way that I supposed he thought was charming, and the other deadpanned at the feast. I smiled and introduced myself to the both of them, but they ignored my words. Instead, one shoveled food in, and the other harassed Neville, who looked a bit put out at getting his spot stolen.

I glanced across the Hall at Malfoy and Blaise, the latter of which was flirting with a veela. Malfoy glanced at the guys on either side of me and rolled his eyes, and I did the same towards the beautifully gut wrenching brunette who was trying to capture his attention. My attention was rapidly brought back to my own House however, as the deadpanning Durmstrang slid his hand onto my knee and up my thigh.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I noticed immediately what that sodding idiot was trying to get away with, his hand pulling up Granger's skirt and showing off her pale legs. She glared at him and calmly slid it back into place, obviously trying to avoid a scene. Well, too bad for her. That idiot deserved whatever he got. I muttered a hex under my breath, and when he tried to slide up her clothes a second time, he broke out in boils "down below". He leaped out of his seat, and ran out of the hall as the boils started erupting and his pants became soaked with pus. Hermione giggled a bit, and though I couldn't hear her, it still made me smile.

Blaise elbowed me, and raised his eyebrows. He had probably seen the whole thing. Curse him. He was going to ask later, I already knew.

The brunette to my left continued fawning over me, like I was God or something. It was really degrading, to have a veela woman like that slobbering all over me. She put her hand on my arm possessively and laughed at a joke Blaise had made, and that was too far. Especially with Granger watching, though I don't know why THAT mattered. I stood up, excused myself, and stormed off. I passed by the Gryffindors on the way to the door, and Granger shot me a worried look. I smirked at her and kept going.

An hour or two later, Blaise entered our shared dorm and collapsed on his bed.

"Damn, Drake," he said wearily, "Veela girls know how to snog!"

I snorted at him and shook my head in disbelief. "Wow B, have you lost ALL your class, or just that involving your sense of pride?"

He shot me a dark glare, and replied "Yeah, because Miss Perfect Golden Trio Gryffindor is so up to your pure blood standards. Hypocrite!"

"She isn't a PART of the Golden Trio! Those cockroaches ABANDONED her!" I shouted as he stared at me. Crap. Crap crap crap.

"Exactly," Blaise said with a smug grin, "you've picked her of all people to chase after. Now don't blame me for going after easy targets."

"You're wrong." I said bluntly, and pulled the curtains on my four-poster.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

After the disastrous Welcoming Feast, the night following should NOT have been as bad as it was.

The legendary Goblet of Fire was brought out, and people began entering their names. Ron and Harry walked up together, and purposefully dropped the little strips of paper into the inferno. Of course they were the first ones, Harry couldn't miss THIS. The two boys from Durmstrang were next, the deadpanner who tried to molest me, Rajone, winking creepily as he dunked his golden paper into the growing flame. Malfoy was next, shoving Rajone out of the way violently, and practically sticking his whole hand in the blue-green fire. Blaise winked at me, but from him it wasn't so creepy. His had a hidden message, one I didn't yet understand.

"Ooooh, Hermione is staring at MALFOY!" Announced a shrill annoying voice. I glanced around to see Lavender Brown standing proudly with her hands on her hips.

"Why wouldn't she be?" Said a smooth calming voice belonging to Malfoy, "I am rather gorgeous. Better than some WEASELS, for sure."

She looked offended, and he raised his eyebrows at her.

"Hermione, AREN'T you rooting for HARRY to be chosen? Or RON? Why would you be staring at MALFOY?" She pressed on, her voice getting louder and louder with each phoneme, "Do you FANCY HIM? Do you FANCY MALFOY, HERMIONE?"

I spluttered, turning red with anger.

"AT LEAST I DON'T GO BEHIND MY BOYFRIEND'S BACK TO SNOG WITH SEAMUS!"

It was her turn to turn red. Ron stood up next to her, and Malfoy slid in line next to me.

"Hermione," Ron said, his ears pink, "You've gone too far. That's NOT TRUE. You need to apologize, NOW." His voice was dangerously mad.

I glared daggers at Lavender, daring her to admit to it. "It is, Ronald. Don't come crying to me when she breaks your heart."

Lavender gave off a high pitched giggle, squealing, "Oh is that what this is all about?"

I didn't understand.

"You're just jealous that HE chose ME over you. So you pick the guy that you think will hurt him the worst, Malfoy, and you spread lies abut me. Pathetic. But you know what, Hermione?" She leaned close and whispered ostentatiously, "Nothing you do will ever make you better than me. I am your superior, and I always will be." She leaned back and announced loudly, "I mean, LOOK AT YOUR HAIR!"

"And look at yours," I muttered, as I turned it all into snakes.

She squealed, and I ran.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I watched her run off crying, shook my head and glared at the defiant Gryffindor that was looking up at me from his girlfriend's still form. He glared right on back.

"Rot in hell, Weasel!" I yelled behind me as I strutted out, waiting until I was out of sight of the Hall to start dashing around looking for a glimpse of bushy brown mane.

She wasn't in the library. Or outside under her willow tree. Or in her dorm, according to a first year I bribed. Where could this goddamn troublesome girl go?

I tried to think like her, tried to think smart. She would go to a room somewhere, a classroom. One she enjoyed... Upon checking, both the Ancient Runes and the Arithmancy classrooms were empty. I was almost ready to give up when taking a wrong staircase took me to the seventh floor. Walking down this hallway triggered something in my memory, chasing her down it for the damned Inquisitorial Squad. We had busted their little get-together in the... IN THE ROOM OF REQUIREMENT!

I ran down the hall, passing the spot where I knew she'd be several times, thinking 'I need to help Granger' as hard as I could. Finally, the door appeared, and I ran through it.

It was a cozy little room, a fireplace and a little couch the only things in it. She was sobbing on the couch, frizzy hair in her tear-dampened face. I coughed loudly, and she jumped.

"Malfoy? But... But you CAN'T be here. I specifically told the room not to let anybody untrustworthy in!"

Well, thanks. That stung a little. "The room trusts me, obviously. You should too. I'm not so bad."

"Why do you care whether or not I trust you? Why are you even here?" She broke down sobbing again.

"I don't know." I answered honestly. I sat down on the couch next to her, and awkwardly touched her back. She gasped in surprise, and leaned into the contact.

"Why are you crying, Granger?" I asked redundantly. I knew why she was crying. Everyone did, but I wanted to know from her point of view.

"Ron won't listen to me. IM TELLING THE TRUTH," She screamed in frustration, "and he won't LISTEN! I might have been a little hurt at first that he chose that whore over me, but I've gotten over that! He disregards SIX SODDING YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP because his girlfriend told him to! And Harry's on HIS side! Harry... He..." She fell back into sobs, leaning on my chest. This was eerily reminiscent of that fateful day in the library. The day everything changed for me...

A thought popped into my head, "Granger, what time is it?"

She glanced up at the clock, "8"

"Detention!" we said simultaneously, separating. We ran down to the DADA room, where Snape was waiting impatiently with Blaise standing a few feet behind him.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

Our detention was sorting and organizing student files for the night, alphabetically by last name. No magic. Only the "Current Students" cabinet, thank god. Blaise started pulling them all out, while Draco and I began putting the ones that were out where they'd need to go. I quickly glanced through the file marked 'Zabini, Blaise' and placed it in the back. In all of Six years, he'd only ever gotten in trouble twice. And both were from fifth year, making out with a prefect in the Prefect's Bathroom.

Malfoy placed 'Potter, Harry' in its spot with zero hesitation, which I was surprised at. He did stop and glance through 'Weasley, Ginny' and smirked at the trouble the firey redhead had gotten herself in. 'Abbot, Hannah' was surprisingly thick, and so was 'Longbottom, Neville'.

A few hours passed by like this, just mindlessly alphabetizing, until we got down to only a few files left. One of those happened to be my own, another, Malfoy's. A few others were First Years. I groped for mine as soon as I realized it was there, not wanting Malfoy and Blaise to see my personal record. Unfortunately, Malfoy had the same idea. His hand closed over mine for a few brief moments, sending heat radiating up my arm, before stealing my file from my very grasp with a smirk.

"Out of bed after Curfew, first year? I remember that!" He exclaimed, looking at the first page of what was bound to be a thick file. "Second year, stealing 83 library books and shrinking them to fit in your trunk? Why am I not surprised!" He chortled loudly, as I blushed.

"I finished all of them before they found out it was me!" I exclaimed, embarrassed at his laughing at me, "Like your file is so clean!"

I leafed through it, stopping at a random page in the thick file. I read aloud, "Malfoy, Draco. Second Year. Caught trying to break into a ladies lavatory. Moaning Myrtle screaming and howling? Why that bathroom, Malfoy?"

"I saw Potty and Weasel going in there, and I got curious," He confessed readily, "And then Crabbe and Goyle got all weird. I figured they had something to do with it."

He then glanced down at my own file. "Second year, half-transformation into a cat?" He gaped, and a picture fell out. Crap, no!

I dived for the picture, tackling him in the process. He wrestled around with me for a moment, then pinned me and took the picture; soon collapsing back on top of me with laughter.

"You-you-you're a c-c-cattt!" He roared with laughter, still on top of me. Blaise walked by and took both of our files, and replaced the picture with a smirk.

"If you two are done rolling around together, I think I finished the file cabinet." He said loudly.

Malfoy jumped up, and so did I. We got the okay from Snape, and walked awkwardly into the hall.

"Well, see you tomorrow in potions I guess." I said awkwardly, talking to both of them and neither of them at the same time.

Malfoy nodded, and followed after Blaise, who was already walking the other way.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

Tonight, they would announce the champions. I was so giddy, it was embarrassing. I knew I would get it, I felt it in my bones. People were buzzing all throughout the day, even Granger seemed a little more excited during potions today. The past week, since our detention, she'd been a little aloof. But today? She was smiley and gushy just like everyone else.

I walked into the Great Hall, finding no House Tables, but a semicircle around the Professors Table. I sat down in the middle, next to a familiar bookbag. The owner of said bookbag soon followed, accidentally whipping me in the face with her thick curls as she spun and moved her bag.

She glanced over at me, "Malfoy," and nodded, "Rather you than Rajone, that's for sure."

I agreed wholeheartedly, and we began to eat.

Five or ten minutes in to the dinner, Dumbledore stood up and cast a Sonorus charm on his throat.

"Dearest students, from Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. I welcome you all to the crowning of the three School Champions!"

The whole Hall shook with the noise of loud cheers and excited conversations.

Dumbledore waited for them to quiet, before beginning.

"The School Champion for Beauxbatons is-" a piece of paper darted out of the giant Goblet, and he read off, "Lunimosa Guinavita!"

A pretty, pale girl stood up, shaking slightly, and accepted the paper from Dumbledore. Several Beauxbatons girls cheered loudly, while the others looked very put out.

"The champion for Durmstrang is-"

"Rajone Kalliphoski"

NO. He raged, mentally. No cheers or applause rose up from the Durmstrang men, just blank stares. Rajone accepted the paper, and stood back next to Lunimosa.

"And, the champion for Hogwarts is-"

"Draco Malfoy!"

My mind froze. I could feel Granger's worried and surprised stare boring into my face, making me turn red. I took a deep breath, composed myself, and strutted out to Dumbledore. He congratulated me, and I walked to join the other champions. Lunimosa smiled seductively at me, while the burly man on her left deadpanned past me.

Dumbledore began to conclude the ceremony, by saying, "Thank you, three fine Champions. I wish you all the be-"

Another slip of paper flew out of the Goblet.

"Harry Potter."

NO! NO NO NO NO NO! That TWIT did NOT get to steal MY CHANCE away! NO! This was MY CHANCE AT GLORY! MY CHANCE TO ESCAPE A LIFETIME OF SERVITUDE AT THE HANDS OF THE DARK LORD! HE DID NOT GET TO RUIN THIS!

The ceremony was over before anyone knew what was happening. I grabbed my stuff, and raced off. Granger followed me, for a while, but then left when I passed the library. Of course she went to the library. She'd be back though. She always felt the need to talk to me, for the past few weeks. Every little thing "Harry and Ronald" did to upset her, was cry-on-my-shoulder worthy. I was starting to think she was dependent on me. Which was ridiculous. By the end of the night, I'd be listening to her worry and fret over Potter, for sure. I hated it.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

"Hey Harry?" I asked tentatively, "W-would you like some help? You know, with the Triwizard Tournament? I heard the first task has something to do with Logic puzzles, and that's a real specialty of mine."

"No." He said coldly, "You don't need another chance to rub it in everyone's face that you're smarter than any given person. You do that enough. Sod off."

He walked away rapidly, leaving me to break down into tears. I retreated back to my safe corner, my crying spot, back next to the Restricted Section and the History Of Magic books, where nobody ever went. I began to sob, trying to halt the tears by focusing on my muggle calligraphy pen set. It didn't work. I wrote a sad little poem and continued to cry, ink smudges all over my face and hands.

"Scourgify" whispered a smooth voice, followed by a slightly callused thumb wiping the tears from my face. His deep silver-grey eyes bored into my teary brown ones.

"What now, Granger?"

I sobbed, "I j-just want to h-h-help him! And he d-d-doesn't even l-like me anym-more!"

He rolled his eyes. "You're so much better than them Granger, don't let Pottypants get to you. Help me, god knows I'll need it."

"R-really?"

"Course. Now cheer up and let's talk Logic."

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~ Two hours later, my brain hurt. I tried telling her that there wouldn't be thousands of riddles, there might be only one, or maybe three. But that stubborn witch insisted on going over several hundred. It was deep into the night before we were done. Pince kicked us out of the library at curfew, but I wasn't ready to face my house yet, so I suggested we go to the Room of Requirement. We were shortly curled up on a couch, talking about nothing much in particular, while munching lightly on some Cauldron Clusters we found inside. Bad mistake.

I looked at Granger, and this powerful urge to just HOLD her took over my body. Not touching her PAINED ME. I slided closer to her as smoothly as possible, wrapping my arm around her lower back. She didn't seem to mind at all, in fact, she seemed to be undergoing the same thing. She draped her arms around my neck and pressed her body to mine, touching me with every square inch of skin possible. Even as I was focusing on the silky sweet scent of her beautifully frizzy hair, her dark chocolate eyes, I was trying to figure out what had the both of us acting like this. She wasn't acting normal, wanting me like this, and it befuddled me.

"Love potion" she gasped quickly, shutting her mouth before some untrue declaration of love came bursting out.

I merely nodded, I knew I could say at most three words before I started snogging her.

"Cure?" I mumbled, to which we shook her head.

"None. Time. Draco..."

Her voice, saying my name, was the most beautiful sound in existence. I loved it.

"Stay here. With me. Overnight." I blurted out. She nodded and the couch transfigured itself into a huge comfy bed for the two of us. She curled up so peacefully on my chest, I almost forgot that this was GRANGER, the muggleborn I was raised to hate. This love stuff was dangerous.

Eventually, I fell asleep, smelling nothing but her shampoo. I awoke to find her laying rigid as a statue in my arms, my entire body curled around her. She lay completely stiff, as if knowing that as soon as either of us moved this moment would be over. She really was pretty first thing in the morning, not seeing-through-a-cloud-of-love-potion pretty, but the way her hair swarmed around her head, and the way her body was casually positioned to be the most comfortable, really was attractive. She noticed I was awake, yawned, and stretched like a cat as I removed myself from her. This night would never be spoken of again. I'm just glad it was 'love' and not 'lust'.

We awkwardly agreed that it never happened, and left the room, her transfiguring our robes to look like we had changed them since yesterday, and me cleaning them with a quick charm.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I raced to my first class of the day, Arithmancy, and sat next to Terry. We chatted quietly about the Triwizard Tournament as we worked. My brain was still rushing from what had happened the night before, but I refused to let it get to me. He and I were drugged, probably from those Cauldron Clusters. My only question was how the Room let them in the space we were in. But it didn't matter.

Malfoy was off the entire day, blushing every time we made eye contact, all distracted in class, and stammering when I asked for the book in seemed unable to look at me without turning a deep shade of red unnatural for his pale complexion. He stared at me all through lunch, unconcerned about people noticing or just oblivious to the others in the room. Blaise kept trying to get his attention, but he just brushed him off, and kept munching on his turkey and staring at me.

As I knew it would, somebody noticed. Unfortunately, it was the Pug-faced Parkinson.

"Drakie, what are you staring at?" She screamed loudly, drawing the attention of many people, "All I see over there is a buck-toothed BEAVER!"

He turned red and looked at his plate, muttering something I couldn't hear. Her response though, was audible throughout the Hall.

"Oh, so you're STICKING UP for her now? Makes sense! I recall YOU being the only one who could harass her when you so "hated" her! Seems it might not have been HATE after all!" By this point, everyone was staring at either Pansy, Malfoy, or me.

"Is little Drakiepoo in love with a Mudblood? Awww how perfect, you two are just filth enough for each other!" She threw her head back and cackled, not noticing the giant zits I was inadvertently causing to pop up on her face. After a few minutes, she started to notice people were pointing at HER, laughing at HER, and she whipped out her mirror.

She freaked out and glanced around the room, locking eyes with Lavender who just happened to be casting a quiet-bubble spell around her and her friends.

"FLOWER FACE!" Pansy shrieked, casting a spell that caused her hair to turn into a literal birds nest. In all the commotion, I slipped out the Great Hall, giggling to myself over the spells, yet confused and worried over Malfoy at the same time.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

After that hell of a lunch break, awkward Potions were great. We had a individual task today, whipping up a quick Euphoria potion. It was quick and easy busywork, leaving me with maybe twenty minutes left at the end of class. It was no surprise, Granger finished quickly too, Slughorn pronouncing her potion the 'best he's ever seen' and just sniffing it made him excited and giddy beyond belief.

I walked smoothly over to her and said, "Good job Granger. Ill beat to next time though." My smirk faded rapidly as I saw Weasley's face turn bright red, him standing up and storming over to me.

"I don't know what the sodding hell you think you're ding, MALFOY, but you leave Hermione out of it!"

"What, like you did?" I paused for dramatic effect, and continued. "I was just saying good job. More than you've ever done for her."

My world went black for a few seconds, as the Weasel's fist found my face.

Granger dragged the blasted ginger out to the hall, as Slughorn was trying to fix the damage Longbottom had done to the surrounding area. Blaise helped me up as we heard screaming Muggleborn through the stone walls. Millicent Bulstrode snorted and said something about "The muggle has a set of lungs" and we laughed. Potter looked distressed, probably more about Weasel than Granger. She came back in after a few minutes, her face red and her hair beautifully mussed.

"Hospital wing." She said curtly to Harry. I sniggered, and discreetly high fived her.

After our last class of the day, Charms, Blaise and I headed up to our two-person dorm.

"It's tomorrow," He said with a grin, "are you ready to kick arse?"

I shook my head slowly, "B, I'm scared. I'm not the best at logic... I wish I could have you or Granger helping me. You two, I swear. You're sodding geniuses."

He shook his head and chuckled at me.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

The first task was about to begin. Dumbledore had already explained the rules, three riddles, different for each person, but they'd all end up in the same place by the end. The item at the end would give them a piece of life advice, and the password to go through the magical finish line down in the grounds where everyone was gathered. I really really hoped Malfoy remembered what we had practiced... I thought he would do fine, but I wasn't sure.

Harry, Malfoy, Lunimosa, and Rajone all lined up at the starting line. Dumbledore sounded the horn, and they ran off to the podium, each grabbing their own specific clue.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

"What starts with E, ends with E, yet usually has only one letter..." I read out loud, trying to think it through. Running towards Hogwarts, I tried to think of everywhere that started with an E. Got nothing. Did anywhere actually begin with an E? And the only one letter... Wait. Only one letter, like the letter E? Or ONLY ONE LETTER LIKE MAIL! Starts and ends with E! Envelope! And only one letter! So somewhere with mail, that's the OWLERY!

I thanked my lucky stars, and my Granger, and darted towards the West Tower.

When I got there, a beautiful tawny owl was waiting for me with an envelope. I thanked it profusely, grabbing he letter and opening it to see a long and complex clue.

"Standing proud, down below. Green with envy, power grows. Hissing fury takes it's hold, subtlety, must not be bold. Snakes at rest, a storming nest" I read quietly.

Green, snakes, envy? Must be something to do with Slytherin. Hissing fury, must not be bold... Somewhere important to Slytherins. The Great Hall! Of course! Must not be bold, no Gryffindor ever sat with us! Standing proud, where our house banners hung! I raced down the long winding hallways to the Hall, running to our bench.

I spent what felt like hours looking over the top and bottom of every bench, table, and place setting on the Slytherin Table. I even levitated myself up and checked the banners... But nothing. I was wrong... I ran out and began to re-think my previous assumption.

Somewhere "down below"... Snakes at rest? The dorm maybe? The common room? I raced off to go see.

I dashed down the Dungeon corridor, shouting "DRAGON" at the wall that blocked my entry. I ran through it into the common room, glanced around and...

Nothing. Nothing out of the ordinary. Gah. Maybe my dorm?

I ran through the doors into my bedroom, seeing a snake on my pillow. It hissed at me, but I rapidly grabbed it behind the head and set it on the floor. It slid under the bed, and I reached for the envelope. Clutching it tight, I ran towards the main hall while reading, "Try me on, and I will know, exactly where you ought to go." The snake hissed and chased me out, so i stopped in the hall and thought about it. That one screamed Sorting Hat to me, so I headed to Dumbledore's office.

I darted up the stairs, but the door wouldn't open unless I got the password.

"Uhhhhh Bertie Botts!"

No response.

"Lemon drops! Sugar Quills! Blood Pops! Cockroach Clusters!"

Still nothing.

Suddenly, a voice yelled, "STRAWBERRY PEANUT BUTTER M&MS!"

The door opened, and I glanced around frantically, wanting to see who had opened the door for me. A portrait of a skinny young woman winked at me, so I nodded my thanks and ran through the door.

The Sorting Hat was waiting on the desk for me, and nodded his... Face? "I am the final item in your search."

"Thank you," I said politely. I had a feeling rushing him wouldn't be the best idea. "Do you have any advice for me?"

"Yes indeed, mister Malfoy."

"When life gives you the opportunity to be happy, take it. Do what makes YOU happy. Follow your heart, not your leaders. Do not fear retribution, for if it is not worth the risk, it is not worth the joy. And Draco? The password is Squib."

"Thank you thank you. I will keep that in mind." I shouted behind me, rushing out towards the grounds.

It was a long way to the Willow by the Black Lake, but I made it. Rajone was already waiting beyond the barrier, but besides that it seemed nobody else was there. I yelled "SQUIB!" And raced through, to the sound of cheers from the crowd.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

Malfoy raced off into the castle and I watched him for as long as I could. I really hoped he would do well.

The seconds became minutes, and the minutes stretched for what felt like hours. I saw Ronald slipping away, and though I wanted to sit and wait for Malfoy for the rest of the day, I followed him. He slipped into the castle quietly, and darted silently through the halls. I stayed several feet back, not wanting him to catch me.

"Ron!" Harry yelled in surprise and relief, "Thank god, I am SO stuck on this part!"

"Not now, I'm trying to find Malfoy," Ron muttered, "I owe him a few good hits after what he did to 'Mione."

Harry looked frustrated. "Ron he didn't DO anything to Hermione! They're Potions partners! ASSIGNED Potions partners!"

Ron rolled his eyes and walked past Harry to the next hall, effectively stalling me as I had to now wait for Harry to move before I could continue.

I did catch up to him though, catching him about to curse Malfoy, who was yelling sweets at Dumbledore's door.

"Petrificus Totalus!" I whispered, as Ron fell over with a clunk. His eyes darted to me in rage, and I leaned down and whispered in his ear, "I have done nothing to you. HE has done nothing to you!"

I raced off, noticing Malfoy leaving the office and heading towards the Grounds. It wouldn't do at all to be missing when he finished. I took a back way, and ended up outside with the crowd just in time to see Rajone passing the finish line with a pompous look on his face. He smiled and waved, making a massive deal over finishing first. How this attention hog was different from the man who slipped his hand up my skirt!

Draco ran out of the castle merely moments behind, sprinting across the line yelling "SQUIB" for all to hear. I clapped loudly and cheered, and blushed heavily as he singled me out in the crowd to run and give me a hug.

People around us quit cheering instantly, choosing instead to begin the gossiping murmurs that would follow me around for weeks. But I didn't care, all I cared about in the moment was the pair of warm strong arms circling around my back, and the tight muscular chest my face was pressed up against. I heard him breathily whisper, "Thank you," into my ear, and then he let go. Blaise was next, hugging me for a much shorter time, but a hug still the same. Why did they both hug ME? After all, MALFOY was the one who won!

Blaise released me and said, "Thanks, Hermione, for helping him get ready. I know you've helped a lot with his nerves."

I blushed and nodded, but there was no more time for conversation as Harry ran across the finish line, the crowd erupting in another round of cheers.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

School went on as normal the next day. Malfoy and I began studying in the library during break and after dinner, Blaise helping me with my Transfiguration homework and getting help with his Charms. People began associating the three of us, calling us friends, however revolted they might be by that statement. However, I didn't know. Malfoy and I did have a connection, but I wasn't sure exactly what it was yet. Blaise and I were friends for sure though, as he could always make me laugh. But Malfoy? I hadn't decided yet.

The three of us headed to Potions together, as was the new norm, and sat down at our respective tables. Malfoy looked tired. Who could blame him, after running about the castle yesterday, trying to figure out riddles? I had a feeling I was going to be doing most of the work. That was fine by me though, I'd rather do ALL of it and we both get a good grade, than have him try, and it exploding.

Professor Slughorn rolled his massive gut out of his desk, standing and waving his wand. The potion instructions appeared on the board, and he went and sat back down.

"Amortentia" it said at the top.

I shuddered to remember the last time I ran in to this particular potion, spending a whole night with Malfoy. In the potion, it was said you would smell the things, and people, you would love forever. And your person, your soulmate, would smell the same. I was excited to know mine. After all, once I smelled something other than Ronald, I think I'd be able to move on completely.

Malfoy yawned beside me, and left to go get the ingredients. My thoughts were filled with a mixture of the idea of not smelling Ron, the curiosity of who I would smell, and the fact that as I was thinking these, Malfoy was returning with a quite handsome smirk and an armful of ingredients.

I had never once seen his smile. Sure, he smirked a lot, but never a genuine smile. I had trouble imagining it on his face, honestly.

"Well Granger," he said tiredly, "What's first?"

I smiled and replied, "First you get your sleepy hands off my potion! Then I make it, and we get full credit!"

He shook his head at me, "Im fine! I can help, I prom-" and yawned.

"No! Just sit down, and keep me company."

"How do you propose I do that, Granger?" He drawled.

"I dunno, Malfoy, talk or something," I retorted, grinning heavily.

He smirked again, and began to hold a conversation as I worked.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

"And you know what else, Granger?" I said quietly, feeling brave, "Your dreadfully bushy mousy brown hair-"

"Stop ab-!" She whispered furiously, as I cut her off and continued.

"-is the most beautiful I have ever seen. For a Gryffindor that is."

Her jaw dropped, and I winked. She was totally stunned that I would say something like that, not that she didn't have reason to be. I honestly was a little surprised about how quickly our friendship had blossomed.

But who wouldn't want to be friends with her? Her big brown soulful eyes, her shining personality, even her ability to paraphrase any line in "Hogwarts, A History" was charming! She was strong, character wise, yet beautifully so. And I couldn't stop thinkin about her delicate frame pressed up against me last night. She felt so fragile in my arms, yet at the same time so perfect. And the way she smelled was amazing. There was no way really, to describe it, besides the aroma wafting out of the cauldron as she finished.

Yeah. Friends. That's all she was to me.

I smelled the Quidditch Pitch after it rained, old books, broomstick wood, and HER. Hermione Granger. Oh, bugger.

I was going to have to talk to Blaise about this.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

His face turned red as I asked him curiously what he smelled.

"Oh, uhh, my mothers cookies and s-something else, I don't know what it is. You?"

"I smell... The grass after it rains, Harry's broom, and parchment. And someone, but I don't know who." I answered honestly. He turned even redder at that, and was making me a slight bit nervous. I knew he was tired, but god forbid he hhfaint in the middle of Potions!

Professor Slughorn walked by our table a few minutes later, and applauded us in front of the whole class.

"Miss Granger! Mister Malfoy! Amazing job! This is the best student-created Amortentia since Lily Potter was at Hogwarts! You two can cut two inches off your homework, which, class, is 10 inches on what you smell in your Amortentia, why, and what that might mean. Due in one week. Class dismissed!"

I looked up at Malfoy hesitantly, and asked, "Meet up at the library after dinner?"

He nodded, and we finished cleaning and left for our final class of the day.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

"Mister Malfoy, I'm sorry! But as a Champion, you MUST have a date to the Yule Ball! And NO it may not be Mister Zabini!" Mcgonagall scolded me as my face fell, "If you're having trouble finding a date, one may be assigned to you. However, you will have a date, and you will dance!"

I glowered. I didn't want to dance with some girl. I didn't want to dance. I didn't want to have to dress up in a stupid muggle tuxedo, and learn some stupid dance, and spend the night with a girl who wouldn't like me. I didn't want to. Urghhhh...

I had pulled McGonagall aside after she announced it being in a month, the first week of break, begging her to let me skip, but to no avail. This was infuriating!

I rushed to the library to meet up with Granger, who-to no surprise- was already working and had about an inch completed. God, her handwriting was tiny too! What she had written in an inch might have taken me five!

I cleared my throat slightly to get her attention, and she glanced up, flustered.

"Oh, um, Malfoy, um, hi. Will you start-" she gestured towards the books in front of her, and made unintelligible noises.

"Got it," I smirked, "I take the books and I hgwuabbdjak. Done."

She laughed, stressed over something, and began to scribble again.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9  
~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~  
He kept staring at me while we talked, more than usual, like he was trying to figure out why I was so stressed. Truth is, I had never been to a dance before. I was terrified beyond belief. I couldn't dance one bit! My rhythm was off, I was clumsy and fell, and stepped on everyone's feet. But Blaise had asked me to go with him, so I would go.  
I spilled ink all over our half-done essay as he made some remark about a beautiful Mudblood. I wasn't really paying attention... I just nodded and smiled and kept focusing on scourgifying the essay until the wet ink was gone. I hoped he didn't notice my distress... It was such a foolish thing to worry about, a dance. I should be worrying for his and Harry's safety in the tasks to come. I was, but that was pushed more towards the back of my mind. I felt like such a twittering priss, and I hated it.  
It was just a dance! It was just another chance for the primped up little drama queens to get the better of me... No! I was HERMIONE SODDING GRANGER! I had helped Harry fight Death Eaters! Fight Voldemort! I shouldn't be worried about some foolish dance!  
And the fact that I was scared me even more.  
~^~^~DRACO~^~^~  
"Huh?" She said, confused, as I stared and waited for a response.  
"I said, are you okay? Because you seem way off, and you just nodded and smiled when I asked you if you were a Satanist." I repeated, her face turning bright red as I called her on her facade.  
"I'm sorry, Malfoy. It's just.."  
"You can't dance and you're worried the other girls will mock you for it, and you're upset at yourself for being nervous about this because you've beat Death Eaters and fought the Dark Lord?" I paraphrased what she had written on our 'essay' while lost in thought, and pointed to the incriminating evidence.  
She turned an even brighter shade of red, "Yes," she muttered, "but if you tell anyone, Ill kill you."  
We continued working in silence, her copying down the correct parts of the essay onto a new scroll, me taking notes on the effects of Amortentia on the mind, for a while. It was almost peaceful, being with her without feeling the need to hurl insults or make her hate me. She sighed quietly, and I knew she was still obsessing over what would happen at the dance.  
"Granger," I started tentatively, "If you're so worried about the dance, why don't you go with me? People will be looking at my handsome figure, they won't even notice you."  
Smooth, Draco, smooth.  
She smiled softly, and quietly said, "Blaise said almost exactly the same thing, when he asked me earlier. I-I'm going with Blaise."  
Damn you Blaise.  
~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~  
"But, perhaps, you could teach me how to dance?" I heard myself say, cursing my unfiltered brain.  
I turned bright red as he stared, processing my strange request. He shook his head as if to clear away cobwebs, and replied, "I don't think so, Granger. Why don't you ask Blaise?"  
That sneer he gave me, almost killed me. It hurt to see him jump back to how things were, so quick to hurt me. Had I hurt him by going with his friend? Did I deserve it, for starting up the bad blood? Maybe he was just trying to act as if me rejecting him meant nothing. Maybe it really did mean nothing. I didn't know. Either way, it was getting late. I said goodnight and left, trying to not take his change of personality to heart.  
~^~^~DRACO~^~^~  
Blaise glared at me. If looks could kill, I'd be a pile of ash.  
"So you turned her down, this girl you've got a thing for, turned down a chance to get closer to her, to make her like you back, because she made tentative backup plans to go with me to a stupid dance?"  
I hung my head, "Yeah, I guess. But why would you do that, B? Why her, out of all people?"  
Blaise looked at me and shook his head. "Because she's insecure and she needs more people to tell her how amazing she is! I didn't think you'd have the confidence to ask her, so I saved her the worry of going stag!"  
"You like her! You're sabotaging me!" I yelled, not realizing how true it was until I said it.  
He nodded, and said, "I'm not sabotaging you. You don't need it. You're too wrapped up in your own little flurry to notice how you're sabotaging yourself. Go to bed, Draco. You're gonna need all the sleep you can get to deal with the Gryffindor princess tomorrow."  
I ran out of our dorm, gunning for Gryffindor Tower on the other side of the school. She had to still be up, she had to be.  
That Weaselette was just entering the common room, the portrait still open, when I darted in after her.  
"We-Ginny." I said, trying to get her attention.  
She spun around, her smile fading rapidly as she realized it was me, and punched at my nose. I blocked it, hardly, and said loudly, "I need your help!"  
She stopped trying to attack me, but still seemed wary, as I all but begged her to go get Granger for me.  
"You owe me, Pureblood." She said with venom, as she ran up the stairs into the girls dorms.  
A few minutes later, a very sleepy-looking Granger emerged at the top of the stairs. She had the strangest bedclothes, soft plaid pants and a loose-fitting Muggle tee-shirt. She yawned softly, making a noise like a kitten, gently grabbed my arm, and led me out of the common room.  
We traveled up to the seventh floor in silence, her never releasing her soft grip on my arm. As I entered the Room of Requirement, it became a cozy living area, with a couch and a fireplace, and two steaming mugs of cocoa on the small end table.  
We sat down on the couch, as far away from each other as we could, and she folded her arms and stared.  
"Why do you need to talk to me, Malfoy?" She asked icily, "It's almost midnight, and we have classes tomorrow."  
"I'm sorry, Granger." The words slipped out before I could stop them. Sorry?! Malfoys didn't do sorry!  
She sighed, "For what, going back to the way things should be?"  
"No! For treating you like a lesser just because you turned me down. Ill help you with dancing. I'm sorry." There was that blasted word again, sorry.  
"Well, you shouldn't be. We call each other by last name, when we aren't screaming. Up until this year, I hated you with every fibre of my being. And I'm sure you felt the same. We are too similar, too different to ever be friends! How would your father feel if you knew we were here right now?! How wou-"  
I silenced her by all-but tackling her and hugging her tightly.  
"We are friends. Granger, we are unique friends. I don't know why I'm fighting so hard for you, but I am, so don't even try to get out of it."  
She was in my arms, and then she wasn't. A frizzy-haired tan cat clawed at me, and shifted back into Granger a few feet away.  
"You don't know why you're fighting for me! Then don't!"  
"You-you're an Animagus. That's wicked. Okay. Cool. Anyway, I'm going to keep fighting, so you might as well just give in now."  
"No! Fine! Gah!" She yelled in frustration, glaring daggers at me, "But if you're a sodding Ferret to me again, Ill Avada your arse so fast... I'm going to bed. Goodnight Malfoy."  
"Wait!" I leaped up and strided over to her rapidly, "Meet me here tomorrow night after dinner. You're gonna learn how to dance."  
"Gah. Fine." she said, and left silently.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

A/N:  
Hi! So my amazing sister (my beta) and I have begun joint-writing a story, about Voldemort, and y'all should totally go check it out! It's on both of our profiles, King3Rosie and .13  
Thanks so much! Read and review!

Oh, and Q? Thanks for the fantastic reviews... ON EVERY CHAPPIE. You're my reader of 2013 ;D

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I am going back to school so it won't be as often :/

And btw? I know Hermione's patronus is an otter, but I felt like she would be more like a cat or an owl Animagus, so I made her a cat XD her patronus is still an otter, of course 3 Yeah that's all, thanks guys!

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

How could I be so stupid! Transforming in front of him like that! It would take just a momentary fit of anger towards me, as he could send me to Azkaban! Ughhhh I was so stupidddd!

Classes breezed by, I hardly noticed them. I was anxious about dancing with Malfoy, though good anxious or bad I didn't know yet. What would he do? How in the world was he gonna teach ME, the clumsiest witch in Hogwarts, how to dance?

Neville sat with me again at dinner, his leg touching mine uncomfortably. I tried to scoot away a little bit, but the first year on my other side was just as close-and more of a mess. So I was stuck hip-to-hip with Neville, trying to avoid any unnecessary contact. He really was a good friend... But he wanted too much from me.

Blaise walked up to me from the Slytherin table.

"Hey Mione!" He said happily, gently pulling me up, "Come with me real quick!"

"Blaise, I have to go meet Malfoy soon, don't take a while," I said, grabbing my bag and my wand, "Where are we going?"

"The Room, of course."

"You know about the Room?!" I gasped in surprise, "I thought us DA were the only ones!"

He flashed me a brief wink, "Inquisitorial Squad."

"Oh. Oh right."

We walked the long way up seven flights of stairs, chatting about random things the entire time. Finally, we arrived.

Blaise went up to the invisible door and thought about something hard, until a door appeared.

We entered to a large room with a big empty floor, nothing inside of it except for the bookshelves and the fireplace.

"You're an Animagus." Blaise said abruptly, "An unregistered one."

I tried to deny it, stuttering and shaking my head, but to no avail.

"H-how did you know?"

"I didn't. Your reaction just confirmed it. Thing is, I want to be one. But I can't do it on my own... And you I figured were my best bet."

"Oh." Blaise wanted to be an Animagus? How did he benefit from it? What would he be?

"Ill do it," I said, agreeing more out of curiosity than anything else, "but you should probably get going. Malfoy will e here soon."

"Okay, Mi," he said, "Can you be here in the mornings on weekends?"

Ugh, mornings. "Yeah, sure!"

His face lit up in a smile, and he pulled me into a tight hug, whispering, "Thanks so much, Mi."

"Welcome," I whispered back, "but can't breath!"

He released me slightly, still keeping his hands where they were, but pulling back to see my face.

"Better?" He whispered, to which I nodded. His eyes were so pretty, a light hazel colour. They went nicely with his darker skin.

"You're so beautiful, Mi," he said softly, making me unsure of whether or not he actually spoke, "so pretty when you blush."

True to his words, I turned bright red and glanced shyly down. He looked at something over my shoulder for a second, then pulled me in to an unexpected kiss.

I was stunned. Frozen. I didn't know what to do. My friend Blaise was kissing me, kissing me awfully well, but I didn't want him like that. If I rejected him, things wouldn't ever be the same between us. He would be awkward and I would be too. But if I kissed back, I'd be faking something that I had little experience with. I'd make a fool out of myself and him. I couldn't ignore it, but I couldn't encourage it! And the whole time I pondered these thoughts, Blaise was snogging me, his hands running up and down my hips, his lips soft and gentle on my own. I had to act, had to do something!

Before I had the chance, however, I heard a loud cough from the door.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I was ridiculously giddy about my dance lesson with Granger tonight, I wolfed my dinner to assure I had enough time to prepare before getting so close to the frizzy brown-maned girl. I then ran to the dorm and perfected my appearance, and began the long trek to the Room.

The door was already visible to me, which was strange, but perhaps she was already waiting inside.

I heard her voice ring out, "You should probably get going. Malfoy will be here soon." Who was she talking to?

I stepped around the corner to see B and Granger hugging. What was HE doing here? He pulled back slightly, releasing her the slightest bit, and making eye contact with me. I shot glares and confused glances his way, about to enter, when he pulled Granger in for a kiss. He pressed her up against the wall and pulled the B on her, what he always did when he wanted something. He became soft and gentle, trying to show some sort of 'good side'.

I watched her carefully for a second or two, trying to see if she would kiss him back or push him off, if she would react at all.

Nothing.

She was just letting him do that.

Not even joining in.

There was no spark for her, no emotion. She was just the other half of B's snog. How many other times had she let him do this to her? It was downright abusive!

He shouldn't be running his hands through her hair, over her hips! He shouldn't be touching her! He shouldn't be kissing her! He shouldn't be here where he knew I'd be, snogging the girl I had set my sights on! He shouldn't be there! She shouldn't let him! It should have been me! My mouth on hers, my hands in her hair! Why would he do this?!

I stepped out another step, and coughed loudly. She extracted herself from his kiss, and looked around wildly.

Blaise winked at me and went to leave, kissing Granger on the cheek on the way out.

"So," I started dryly, "You and Blaise?"

"No! Well," she denied rapidly, "I don't think so." Her cheeks turned bright red, either embarrassed at my inference or ashamed to get caught.

"Good for you two," I said half heartedly, "lets dance."

An hour passed in almost-silence as she and I practiced, keeping beat and staying on our feet, just the slight murmur of Try this or Do that. At one point she fell, and dragged me on top of her. I lay there for a second, but then remembered her lip lock with B and jumped up.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I rested my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat as we swayed back and forth. He seemed frigid towards me after witnessing what had happened between Blaise and I, and I didn't like it. Malfoy usually was a joking person, lots of smiles and laughter, but tonight it was all deadpan Move your feet here.

It was late, and I was tired. We danced to the music slowly, just swaying without any real purpose, sleeping on our feet. He suddenly just stopped, waving his wand to shut off the music.

"Don't bother coming back Granger, you've obviously learned all there is to learn from ME," he said angrily, "Time to move on to better teachers, eh?"

"Oh, shove it." I glared at him, wishing he would just be nice for a change.

I gathered my stuff and left, falling asleep almost immediately.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I lay in my lush bed, waiting for sleep to overcome me. Every time I closed my eyes all I could see was B running his hands over Granger's body. I wanted to punch him. I wanted to kiss her. When did I start feeling this way for a Mudblood? When did Blaise and I start having so many issues as friends?

I knew the answer. But I refused to admit it, even to myself.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

"Hey Mi," Blaise asked tentatively while holding my hand, "Why do you mind when people talk about us so much?"

I sighed. He was sweet, and for the past three weeks had been the nicest boyfriend I had ever had, but he wasn't quite right for me. We didn't click, didn't spark, the way I imagined a good couple should. No resemblance to Amortentia at all. He was caring and doting and loving and a very good kisser, but he wasn't truly what I wanted. I hated hearing people talk about how we were together, because i didnt exactly want it to be true. Of course, I couldn't tell him that. He would be heartbroken. So I simply shrugged.

"Hermione," he said firmly, lifting my chin so I looked at him, "What's. wrong."

That pissed me off. He shouldn't be touching me like that. It hurt.

"Blaise, I just don't know!" I lost my temper, and shouted, "You're amazing and kind and sweet but I DON'T KNOW!"

He looked hurt.

"You don't know about me?! You dont know? No wonder you never kiss me back!"

How dare he! It had been three weeks!

"Three weeks, I can't mean that much to you! Quit yelling at me!"

"Then give me a chance!"

"I've given you loads!"

"So is that it then?!"

No! Yes! I didn't know. I just wanted things to be NORMAL. But his hands were seriously hurting my face.  
"Get your hands off of me!"

He released me with disgust.  
"Fine. FINE! I was falling in love with you, Mi. But if you only feel apathy, FINE!"

Love?!  
"It was three weeks! You couldn't be falling in love already!"

He looked as if he was about to cry. Something cruel glinted in his eyes as he screamed,  
"Fuck off, Mudblood!"

I slapped him viciously, immediately regretting it.

"Blaise..."

He was red faced, a single fear falling down his cheek.

"We aren't a good couple. We make good friends."

"I know. I know. Doesn't mean I don't wish otherwise."

"Truce?" I stuck out my hand for a handshake.

He pulled me into a tight hug, "Im sorry."

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

Blaise had told me earlier that him and Granger had broken up. That was good, I suppose. I had been friendless for about three weeks, watching them dart around kissing each other 'secretly' between classes. It was sickening.

Granger didn't even cry. Good for her. B did though, a lot. Three nights in a row I heard him sob himself into a light sleep. He was dateless to the dance now, and so was I. Poor McGonagall, looked like I WOULD be taking Blaise.

Granger had been trying to talk to me since they hooked up, but I had consistently blown her off. She chose him over me, so be it. But I had a feeling I wouldn't be doing the same the next time she tried.

The Yule ball was in a week, and I was almost concerned I wouldn't have a date. Until Granger stopped by our corner of the library after classes.

"Malfoy," she said with a smile, "Mind if I study with you?"

I nodded my agreement, but from the second she sat down I knew it wasn't books on her mind.

"So, um, ugh, Blaise and I, uh we broke up," she started awkwardly, "And, well, uh, I'm going alone to the, um, ball, and I was thinking-"

"Granger, if you wanted to dance with me, you could have just said so," I said humorously, "I need a date as I'm a champion, so it works out well."

She smiled in obvious relief, "Just as friends."

My heart sank an immeasurably small amount, but I smiled and we began to study.

"The second task is coming up soon," she observed, "do you know what it is?"

I shook my head and said, "No, but I heard it will involve something dear to me, and a deep test of character."

"Well," she said with a smug sort of smile, "Get ready to lose your money and go play with the Gryffindors."

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I tumbled down the stairs in my gown, to the delight of Lavender and Parvati, laughing at the top. My dress ripped from the hem up the ribs. It was ruined.

Ginny took two glances at me and pulled me up the stairs again after her.

"God, you need help," she muttered, dragging me into her deserted dorm room. I slipped off my dress at her request, and she threw it in the corner. She pulled out of her closet a slim chocolate-brown tulle gown, sized it up a little bit, and slid it over my head.

"Ginny, why?" I asked, confused.

"Cause you need me. Now be quiet and let me fix your hair!"

A/N:  
Sorry this chapter is so short, it's basically a setup for the Yule Ball XD see you tomorrow!


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

AN:

I know most people post a picture of the dress, or give a link, but I'm bad at clothes XD so I have a basic description, just use your imagination :3 sorry. And the traditional dance? Think HP4 movie.

Oh, and I know I listed this story under Suspense, I promise it'll pick up and be more suspenseful around the Second Task XD Yeah that's all for now! -Rosie

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I waited outside the Great Hall, where the ball would be held, for Granger. We had agreed to meet there a few minutes early, as the Champions and their dates were expected to lead the first dance.

She stuck her head out from behind the wall, glanced down the stairs, and smiled at me. A true, happy smile. My heart melted.

She was the only one in the room, Granger was, as she slowly and carefully stepped down the steep stone stairs towards me. She was beautiful, her milk chocolate curls hanging down around her face, her deep brown eyes like luminous orbs. The dark brown dress made her look beautifully skinny, yet curvy in the right spots. No girl could hold a candle to my Granger.

She smiled awkwardly at me and I got a whiff of Amortentia arising from her skin.

I wrapped her up in a tight hug, "You're not bad, Granger. Not bad at all."

She smiled brightly back, as if 'not bad' was the best thing she had ever heard from me. Honestly, it might have been. But that was inconsequential as of right then, as the doors to the Great Hall opened and we went to speak to McGonagall.

She made us wait outside with the other three champions and their dates for our 'grand entrance'.

Potter glanced over at Granger and visibly looked shocked. His Weaselette was talking rapidly to her, pointing at me several times. No wonder what they were talking about. Rajone and his Veela girl were snogging, like they would for the majority of the evening, and Lunimosa had brought a very excited Durmstrang boy. Waiting with the strange group seemed ages, at least until Granger came back to talk to me.

"You're looking sharp," she said, grinning hugely, "That smile looks good on you."

It was then that I realized I had been smiling, truly smiling, ever since Granger walked down those steps.

"It would also look good on you," I said jokingly, "why don't you stop looking so glum!"

Her eyes got, if possible, bigger. She stared up at me seriously and said, "Buts seriously, you do look amazing. A muggle suit? Who would have thought."

I shrugged. I didn't like the frilly dress robes most Wizards wore for fancy occasions.

We didn't have much more time for conversation outside, as Slughorn came around the corner in nasty yellow dress robes to talk to us.

"Alright, then. Line up with your dates, girls on the left. You'll enter, and dance the first dance. After that, it's up to you."

The large doors swung open, Granger took my arm, and into the crowd we went.

I caught snippets of conversation all the way to the clearing where we were set to begin.

"Look-"

"With Malfoy-"

"Hermione Granger?"

"Blaise-"

"Slytherin-"

"Inter house unity-"

I could feel Granger tightening her grip on my arm a slight amount and I knew she was nervous.

"They don't matter," I whispered for her ears alone, "Just listen to the music and dance with me."

She nodded faintly as we made it to the clearing, and the music began.

We got into position for the traditional Yule Ball dance, whih was a twirly showy sort. I laid my hand on her hip and held her hand with my other, and as the others got ready, the music began.

She danced well for only one night of practice, keeping in time with me mostly, and not stumbling around much. We danced and twirled and I lifted her through the several jumps, flying through the steps in time with the music.

Finally, three minutes later, our song was over. She and I, along with the other couples, took our bows, and the rest of the school took the floor.

Blaise came up to talk to us, "Hey Mione, Drake."

"Hey Blaise," Granger said energetically, "You here with anyone?"

He nodded, "Actually, yeah."

Hannah Abbot, a Hufflepuff from our year, came up and said hi to Granger, kissing Blaise on the cheek as she went to talk to some other giggling girls.

The three of us plus Abbot got some drinks and sat around one of the small tables in the back, discussing random things, just mostly enjoying each others company. This was the first time in about a month that B, Granger, and I had all gotten along well, and it was nice to be able to sit there with my closest friends and just be.

Granger kept catching my eye as we talked. She was so beautiful. Her eyes were shining as she smiled, her laugh ringing out like a bell every so often. How did I miss this purely amazing creature for six years? If she and I could have been friends from the beginning, my beautiful Granger could have saved me from Pansy and the other Slytherins, could have made my life so much better. But my father wouldn't have ever allowed it. He would have killed her. It was probably better this way.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

He really was handsome, catching my eye as we sat in the back and talked. If he had been nicer when he was younger, if I had cracked this wall earlier, I might have fallen for him instead of Ronald last year. He truly was magnificent once you got past the posing.

The table and chairs we were sitting at vanished as one song ended, while a booming voice said that everyone should be dancing to this next song. We fell to the floor, laughing, as everyone else sitting down began to fall on their arses as well. Malfoy stood up and reached his hand down, helping me stand up in the midst of a fit of giggles at Padma's face as her drink splattered on the ground.

He pulled me up close to him and we began to dance, as a soft slow muggle song came on. I laid my head on his chest, and he wrapped his arms around me, and we swayed back and forth to the music. I could hear his heartbeat pounding away, feel his strong arms around my back, and I was at peace. This was good. This was how it was supposed to be. He ran one hand through my hair, and, though I hated it when people touched my hair, I let him. With Malfoy, I didn't mind so much.

Too soon, the song ended, and we gently pulled apart.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

"It's so bloody warm in here," I said, pulling her gently to my side, "Lets go for a walk out on the grounds."

She nodded, her eyes glazing over as she thought on something, and walked outdoors with me.

For December 20th, it really was not very cold. It could have been October. It was dark, and all the stars in the sky were out, along with the illustrious moon. The moonlight reflecting off of her hair made it look like liquid silk. She was just so amazing.

We wandered all the way around the Black Lake to the small willow tree, which I knew had been her favorite place for the past several years. We talked about silly, inconsequential things, every once in a while her intellect catching me off guard. How much better she was than Pansy! Here was a girl, no a woman, to rival my smarts, to question every little detail of her life the same way I did! Cunning and quick witted, effortlessly logical, a feisty opponent in any competition! She was perfect to me, perfect for me, perfect overall. I needed her.

Before I knew what I was doing, I cut her off halfway through a sentence about a book I should read, by pulling her in tight to me and kissing her softly. I ran my hand through her hair, enjoying the feel of her silky curls over my fingers, her plump lips on mine. She was kissing me back, gently, sweetly, and I loved it. She was mine.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

His eyes shined like the moon as he swooped me up, pulling me into a kiss. This kiss was different than any I had had before, in the way that I didn't think my way through it as I did with Blaise and Ronald that one time. This kiss was all about sensation. All I could do was kiss his gentle lips back, and enjoy the smell of Amortentia washing over me.

We heard footsteps coming from the left, and leaped apart. He ran his hand through his hair as if he was embarrassed, and muttered "Sorry." quietly.

I nodded, said, "It's okay, Malfoy," and went to leave, but he stopped me.

"My name is Draco," he said firmly, a glint of something unrecognizable in his eyes.

"Draco," I said quietly, enjoying the sound if his name, "Thank you. For the dance and all. I-I have to go pack."

"Goodbye Hermione," he said sadly, "Ill be here when you get back. Happy Christmas."

I ran the rest of the way to my dorm, refusing to think about what had happened between us, just simply packing and pretending to sleep. If I thought about it, I might make a mistake. As of right now, I was leaving tomorrow, and I'd deal with this new development when break was over, after New Years.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

AN:  
Oh my gosh we just broke 2,000 views! I'm so happy XD thanks all of you for reading! I know this story might not be as popular as some of the Greats, but I'm glad you've all taken the time to read it. Seriously makes my day :3

OH BTW I PROMISE THIS STORY WILL GET DEEPER PLOT AND SUCH SOON I JUST HAVE TO SET UP A FOUNDATION JUST HOLD TIGHT WITH ME Love you all!- Rosie

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I woke up at noon the day after the dance, only because Blaise woke me. I had been up for hours the previous night thinking about Gra-Hermione. I wanted to get her something for Christmas. But I didn't know what. And Christmas was in three days.

Hogsmeade was today, but instead I had the next to last of my detentions with Snape. It passed slowly, organizing his books in alphabetical order by subject. Meanwhile, my thoughts were consumed with the beautiful witch who had captured my attentions over the first half of the school year.

I didn't exactly know where we sat after the kiss last night. She left awfully fast. All I knew was she had kissed back, so there must have been some form of spark. I thought back to that day in Potions, her hair beautifully frizzy as she listed off every single thing I had smelled with a smile. She was mine; she just didn't know it yet.

I was worried about the second task as well, occurring as soon as everyone got back from break; a test of character? I was a Slytherin! We weren't exactly known for having the best character.

Snape let me go as soon as I was done, and I returned to my dorm. B was sitting on his bed, reading. He had next to him a beautifully wrapped silver-and-gold present, something he had probably picked up for Abbot earlier today. Picked up a Christmas present... BLAISE!

"Mate, if you love me, I need a favor," I said quickly, "I need you to buy something for me."

"Buy YOU something?" He asked questioningly, looking at me funny, "You have more money than anyone else on the planet!"

"Ill give you the money," I said, "But I can't go pick it up from Hogsmeade. Please, B?"

He nodded, "Sure, just tell me what and where."

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

An owl scratched at my window, the first I had gotten all break. It was too big to be Pig, definitely not Hedwig. It was a charcoal horned owl, holding a large silver package with a green ribbon.

Slytherin colors? Malfoy. It had to be. I thanked the owl, feeding him one of the treats I had bought for Hedwig, and gently untied the gift from his leg. He flew off, presumably to return to Hogwarts, but I wasn't ready for him to leave yet. I felt the need to write a thank you note... But it was too late, the dark grey owl had already flown far away.

I put the present under my bed, resolving to not open it until tomorrow, which was Christmas. The curiosity was killing me! After loads of fights and one brief kiss, what would be an appropriate gift?

I hoped it wasn't something too fancy, but knowing Malfoy money, it probably was. I wonder what he had told his parents? He couldn't have told them he was buying a Mudblood a present. Did they even know he bought it at all?

It didn't really matter. Too late to turn back now. Perhaps I should have gotten him something? Where did Malfoy and I stand as a couple? Were we a couple?

My mother called me down for Eve supper, her dark brown hair in a ponytail. They asked me about school, and my classes, my friends. I have the most 'normal' answers I could. How do you explain to someone who can't see green, what green looks like? Sure, they tried their best to understand my life outside of them, but my magical life and my muggle life were too separated for any sort of comfortable harmony of the two. But still, they were my parents, and I loved them dearly.

After dinner, we all opened our Eve present, which was always pyjamas, and went to bed. It was a sort of tradition between my family, wearing our pyjamas on Christmas night. I enjoyed it, and I always wore my pyjamas for the majority of the year. It was my little piece of sunshine from home, and I loved it. My peejays this year were yellow and green checkered flannel bottoms, and a loose fitting yellow button up. They were soft and warm, and smelled like my home. I loved them! I changed quickly, showed up downstairs to show my parents, and went to bed. The present from Malfoy still sat under the bed, it's contents beckoning me with a sirens call.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

"Get up," said a rough voice Christmas morning, "We're leaving."

I rolled out of bed, knowing disobeying my father was a bad mistake.

"Father, where are we going? It's Christmas," I said hesitantly, putting on the most casual suit I could find, "I believe everywhere will be closed."

He shook his head at me, saying, "Stupid boy! We are going to get your present! The best present of them all..." His voice trailed off as he walked down the hall, never once looking back to see if I was following.

He grabbed my arm once we left the confines of the apparation barrier, and we vanished.

We reappeared at the edge of a dark looking house, the only one in sight. It had tall creaky iron fences, dying grass, the whole shebang. I was a little bit apprehensive for what I might find inside.

Aunt Bella opened the wards and the gate for us, winking nastily at me as we walked through. My father dragged me up the path to the house, Death Eaters lining the sidewalk. None of them spoke to me, but judging by their harsh whispers, they all spoke about me. I entered the old ruined mansion to find a great hallway, large and grand, leading to a staircase.

My father leaned down and whispered, "This is as far as I go. Third to your left up top."

Oh great, the Dark Lord. Probably going to punish me for not killing Dumbledore yet. I had made some weak excuses to my father about the Tournament being time consuming and not allowing any form of secrecy, but I don't think anyone believed it. I slowly walked up the staircase, composing my 'servant' face.

He spun around in a giant throne-like green armchair, with the snake curled around the rug in the floor. Always one for theatrics, the Dark Lord was.

"Ah, yes," whispered Voldemort, in his high pitched raspy voice, "the young Malfoy child. Here for a gift, I presume?"

I nodded, and that was when things started to go wrong.

He kept out of the throne, flying across the room to me. The door slammed shut as he whipped out his wand, holding it to my arm. I was immediately forced to lie down. He traced a snake and skull on my left arm with his cursed wand, giving me goosebumps and bracing me for the pain I knew to come.

I screamed uncontrollably as every nerve in my arm was seared with a violent evil. He was yelling words at me, but I didn't hear them. All I could think about was the pain. Pain, pain, pain.

Granger's face popped into my mind, her smiling at me, and that made the pain fade slightly. It became a bone-deep throbbing through my whole body, sitting just under the skin. I thought of my mother, her shining eyes, her long hair, and the pain was vanquished. But in my mind's eye, I saw a memory of the last time i saw her, her body, broken and bruised. The pain returned, tenfold worse, and I passed out.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I opened the beautifully wrapped silver package and hardly fainted in shock. Inside the box was a beautiful deep brown owlet with yellow eyes, in her cage. Kept well cared for by a couple enchantments, she looked up at me with her big eyes and hooted a few times. In the large package, which was bigger on the inside, there was a bag of treats, some other assorted care items, and a very long handwritten note from Mr. Draco Malfoy himself.

"Hermione," I read to myself, "I hope Charkle finds you okay. She is the child of my mother's prized owl, and is very intelligent. She will do you well as far as pets go, and should get along well with your cat. But that's not the entire present.

"This letter is charmed so you may only see the bottom once you have finished reading the top. See, knowing you, I expected you'd skip to the bottom once hearing- reading this.

"I like you, Gryffindor Princess, a lot. I like you from the top of your bushy hair down to your smallish feet. I like your eyes, your smile, your laugh, but most of all, your shining personality. I have no doubt that I would be killed for writing this to a Muggleborn, but I don't care. You are worth the risk. You are worth any risk.

"As much as I want to publicly declare you mine, take you out to fancy restaurants and buy you pretty gifts, my surroundings would put you in danger. Life-threatening danger. So I have devised a solution.

"Be mine, Hermione. Be mine, and mine alone, please. If you will be mine, I will be yours. Silently. I swear to you I will find time to be with you as your boyfriend, I swear I will find a way. But to me your life is more precious than flaunting our relationship, so if you accept, please, know that this is for you.

"Turn the letter around."

I did as it instructed, my heart beating out of my chest, as a dark silver locket on a white-gold chain appeared attached to the back. I unattached it, gently, opening the beautiful oval-shaped trinket.

The smell of Amortentia rose out, and a beautiful melody played quietly, as I peered inside. There was two photos, one on either side. One was Draco and I at the library, me leaning on his shoulder with his arm wrapped around my back, at peace with each other. That was when it all began, when he felt compelled to comfort me, where this whole beautiful mess began. The other picture, and I gasped at the sight, was our kiss at the Yule Ball. The moon was shining on the lake, and on us, and the scene was beautiful. Our first kiss...

I flipped the letter back around to see if any other words had appeared, and to my delight, they had.

"These are snapshots of my memories, which I gained through a highly illegal spell. If anyone sees these, Blaise took them.

"The music and scent will remain for as long as I still feel for you, still want you as my own. We have had a troubling past, and I want no doubt in your mind that I have changed, and that I am sorry. So here it is, my reassurance that wherever you are, wherever I am, when the music plays, it means I'm yours.

"-Yours forever, Draco"


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I awoke with a start. My surroundings were dark, yet familiar. I knew this place.

"Lumos," I whispered quietly, shining my wand on the walls.

I was in my room, on my bed. Was it possible that my Marking was an awful nightmare?

I shone the light on my arm, cursing my life as I saw the strangely familiar snake-and-skull design staring at me. Of course, of course it wasn't a dream. My luck was too awful for that to be a dream.

What would Hermione think? What would she say? She would reject me... She'd never see me the same way. Any possibility of loving Granger went out with a deathly sweep of the Dark Lord's wand. I couldn't let her know. I couldn't let her see. She would be in danger- possibly from me.

It was then that I made up my mind. I wouldn't befriend Granger any farther. I'd admire from afar, but she and I must never be. I didn't want her to be in danger. She was mine, but I ha to give her up. And she must never know that I was still hers.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I sent Draco a short note saying thank you a thousand times over, using my little Charkle. She made the journey well, returning within a few hours. Charkle really was special. I loved her already... She was just so cute! My mother loved her too, feeding the little brown owl table scraps and bits of food.

I was all packed for school, my stuff folded neatly in my trunk, the owl and her stuff in her cage on top. Second Task was three days after we returned, so I had packed extra stuff for that; a lot of medical supplies, healing potions and the like, and some books on the history of the Triwizard Tournament. My trunk was overflowing, but I managed to make everything fit.

My mother honked the horn twice at me, and I ran outside dragging my stuff. We climbed in the car, and drive to the train station. As a Muggle, she couldn't come through the barrier, but she did kiss me goodbye and give me a giant hug. I walked through the brick wall, waving, and boarded the train.

Draco and Blaise were alone in a compartment, so I joined them. I slid open the glass pane and-

"Go away, Mudblood."

My fingers fumbled for the locket around my neck, clasping it tight between my shaking hands. I sat down between Blaise and the window, avoiding Draco's eyes.

"Why?" I asked hesitantly, not really expecting a response.

"Because you're an awful kisser," he sneered, "And because now I've won the bet."

"But-" BET? There was a bet? I knew he was actin strange, all of a sudden comforting me and taking care of me. I knew there had to be an ulterior motive! He- he- He was PLAYING me! And I fell for it!

"Just go, Gra-Mudblood."

Tears falling from my face, I went to a compartment in the very back, completely alone.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

She believed me. She believed the lies, the bullshit, she believed me. She believed it, as she wore proof of my lies around her neck. She didn't even question it. There was always that niggling doubt in her mind, I could see that in her eyes. So I exploited it. My mind was stuck on repeat, watching her sadly leave my compartment in tears, not caring who saw her upset. I felt choked up, a blob of sadness in my throat that nothing would remove. She was broken, and I had broken her. I missed her warm happy smile already.

But this was for the better. I had explained to Blaise earlier what had happened on Christmas, and though he disagreed on my tactics, he said that he would respect them, and cut off contact with Hermione. We both sat in silence for the rest of the train ride, quietly mourning the loss of a beautiful friendship, and a beautiful opportunity.

Life went on though, albeit slowly, and school started up as normal. She never once looked at me through Potions, or DADA, or anything. Passing in the hall my heart gave a leap when I saw her, only to plummet through the floor when she glanced past me though I was just another face in the crowd. Her face was often red, as if she had been crying. And it was my fault.

The day before the Second Task, she vanished. I began to get a touch worried. Did she do something drastic? Did she get in trouble? Get hurt? Give up and go home? Where was my Granger?

The whole time I was worrying about Granger, my arm was burning. The Mark was getting bigger and darker, the transformation was almost complete. I was afraid.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I tried my best to ignore him, did my absolute best to pretend we had never kissed, never been friends, never anything more than two apathetic enemies, but whenever I opened my locket, and heard that beautiful melody, I broke all over again.

Dumbledore called me into his office two days before the Second Task, after dinner. We talked, and I accepted his request through tears.


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I prepared myself to leave the tent and enter the dark underground maze. The Second Task was upon me, and I was forced to enter a Boggart-Hole to retrieve something precious to me. Everyone else had their own Boggart-Hole, as they were unique to the individual that entered them. Boggart-Holes were terrifying. They portrayed your worst fears, your darkest memories, your evilest thoughts, and made you live through them. I was petrified.

The whistle sounded and I raced into the pit, whipping out my wand to light up the area. The first thing I saw was Hermione running by me, screaming and crying. She looked so upset, so devastated... I saw her run to Charkle and write a letter, and my curiosity got the better of me. Over her shoulder I read a note filled with tears and sorrow, rage and abandonment. She confessed her soul to Luna over owl, and with her soul, came her distress over me. I shook myself from the upsetting sight, and the realization that this might actually be true, and moved on.

Hermione ran up ahead of me again, her physical appearance changing slightly to where she seemed worried and a touch older. Aunt Bella appeared out of the darkness and captured her, as Hermione screamed. She locked eyes with me and pleaded for help as Bella sliced open her skin with a painful spell, writing the word Mudblood on her arm in slices and blood. Hermione had given up on asking me to help- I wasn't even sure she knew I was still there- and the pain consumed her.

I pushed past her, an again, Hermione leaped up and raced ahead of me. She became young, very young. Bella shifted into me from second year, and I witnessed the first time I had ever called her a Mudblood, had ever made her cry. Looking back on that one moment, I regretted it. My Hermione today was still feeling the pain of this moment. Pain I had caused.

The young little Gryffindor shifted her teary gaze from Boggart-Draco to me, and I felt awful. I couldn't touch her or interact with her, but she could make me feel everything. I tore my gaze away from those deep brown eyes wet with tears, tore a bit of my heart away from the demon-creature in the shape of my Hermione, and ran away.

My mother walked out of the darkness, and held her arms open for a hug, the way she always used to. Not thinking, I ran to her, ran to my not-dead mommy in the Boggart-Hole, almost leaped into her miraculously alive arms, until my father appeared behind her.

"No," I whispered silently, knowing what was to come next.

My father looked at me, and at Mum, and whipped out his wand. He Crucioed her, reveling in her screams of pain. I began to cry, just as I had back when it happened the first time. My mother screamed in pain, wailed for mercy, broke down in tears... And Lucius continued to torture her. Eventually, he tired of the Cruciatus, and tied her down for some muggle torture. It went on for a while, I hiding in the wardrobe watching my mother suffer pain at the hands of the man she loved, until he turned his back to clean a knife, and she performed the most powerful wand less magic I had ever seen, Sectumsempring herself to shreds, killing her almost immediately. My father had pushed my strong mother to the point of suicide. He loved her, once, and now she was dead because of him. And it was all because of me. I remembered the part the Boggarts didn't show, the part where I set my two house-elves free to find a safer home, and my mother took the blame.

My father didn't kill Narcissa. I did.

It was my fault.

I ran through the next several scenes, seeing me killing Blaise, seeing my father burning Mums body, him beating me with a broomstick for talking to a Muggle, seeing the Dark Lord feasting on flesh, and seeing a grave I knew was Hermione's. The images didn't matter. It was the past. Or it would never happen. They were obstacles in the way of saving someone that I could actually save. I brushed them off and kept running.

Finally, I saw light. The exit to the Boggart-Hole was just ahead, and with it, something highly special to me. I ran even faster, sprinting down the long winding tunnel, until I saw Hermione.

She was asleep, resting, unconscious. I didn't know for sure. All I knew was this one was real. This was MY Hermione. My flesh and blood real non-Boggart Hermione. I dragged her gently out of the hole with me, hoping the sunlight would wake her up. People saw us, and cheered. But I was more concerned about the beautiful girl who wouldn't wake up.

She wasn't even stirring. Harry and Rajone watched on with curiosity as I shook her, yelling her name. She was breathing still, which was a good sign, but not any other signs presented itself.

I didn't know what to do. I was more helpless here and now than watching the events in the Boggart-Hole. I was panicking, and so did the first thing I thought of.

I kissed her.

In front of everyone.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I woke up to the slight sound of someone whispering Ennervate, and the feeling of Draco's lips on mine. My ears were roaring so loud, I thought my head would explode. He pulled back, relief in his eyes when he saw that I was awake, and that was when I realized.

The roaring in my ears was external. The entire school, Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, several reporters, and the staff had all witnessed Malfoy kiss me.

Well, the cat was out of the bag now.

Dumbledore rapidly silenced everyone when Lunimosa came darting out of her Boggart-Hole, sobbing and holding on to her young brother Jonathan. He announced the scores, Draco placed third, and sent everyone away. Draco and I were taken to the Champions Tent for a brief minute or two to compose ourselves, along with the other champions and their loved ones.

Draco death-gripped my hand, whispering, "Are you okay?" In my ear as we walked. I nodded, and looked up at him. He was white as a ghost, even paler than normal, and shaking slightly. I squeezed his hand reassuringly.

When Professor Dumbledore had informed me that I was to be Draco's special person, I was shocked and confused. I protested to the wise old man, saying that Malfoy and I had never really gotten along, that we had a falling-out, that he was wrong. But then I remembered the Amortentia. And the beautiful locket. And I accepted the role.

I almost wanted to ask him what he saw inside that hole, but I instinctively knew it was nothing good, and that it would hurt him more by trying to remember again. So I let it slip.

We sat down, Draco and I, in the corner of the tent. Ginny and Harry waved at us, smiling and in each other's arms. Draco held my hand and smiled at me, trying to be happy through the dredged up pain of the previous task. I could see it in his eyes though, he was hurting.

"What's wrong," I asked gently, "Are you okay?"

He nodded, then paused and shook his head, "I saw- I saw my mother."

I knew immediately what he was talking about from that fateful day in the library, and I needed no more discussion.I pulled him into a tight hug, holding his muscled body close to me, listening to him sob gently. I stroked his platinum hair, trying to be as comforting as I could.

After a few minutes, he straightened himself, wiping his eyes and kissing me quickly on the cheek. "Thank you," he whispered, "for everything."

Harry walked over to us, a confused look on his face. Ginny trailed behind slightly, smiling hugely at me.

"Hermione. Ron was wrong. Lav got caught with Seamus again yesterday. By me. I was wrong for doubting you, and I'm sorry," he said awkwardly. Harry wasn't good with emotional business. I could tell this was scripted between Ginny and Harry a moment ago. He continued, saying, "Malfoy, up until this point I have disliked you, but after seeing you care for Mione, and watching her comfort you, I trust shes made the right choice. If you hurt her-"

Draco interrupted him, sneering wickedly and saying, "Actually Potter, we aren't together."

Ginny and Harry's jaws fell to the floor. I however, noticed the glint of humor in his eyes.

"Not officially anyway," he continued.

"Hermione, be mine? I promise to take Potter-approved care of you."

I gasped and nodded, speechless for a second. He had managed to make my two close friends like him while in the meantime making me officially his girlfriend. Harry smiled and chuckled slightly as he looked at me, and I was suddenly awkwardly aware of what my face must look like. My mouth was awkwardly open and I was beetred... But not for long. I buried my face in Draco's chest, and Ginny, getting the message, pulled Harry off to another corner of the tent.

"Draco," I started off, frowning, "why have you pretended to dislike me this past week, if only to ask me out?"

He sighed, "A mistake, love. Please, let's just put it in the past."

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I was over the moon. Hermione and I, we were together. Actually really together. And she seemed as happy as I! My Mark burned on my arm, making me twitch in pain, reminding me why I had to be careful. I should proceed with caution, or not proceed at all. But for once, I was happy. And I'd fight a thousand Dark Lords for that.

We walked to Potions, holding hands as usual. The past week, everyone around us had gone from outraged, to gossipy, to angry, to confused. Mi was doing a good job keeping her head held high and a smile on her face, and that helped me do the same. Besides, when you've got the smartest witch of your age as your own girl, there wasn't a lot to frown about.

Next week, our first Hogsmeade weekend without Snape's detention, she and I were going together to a few of the shops. I don't usually look forward to Hogsmeade, most Slytherins just used them to sneak around the castle or be annoyances. There were a few things I liked, the candy at Honeydukes, and butterbeer at the Hog's Head. But really, I was going for Hermione.


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

AN:  
So updates are shifting from once a day to every two or three, if you haven't caught on yet, because I have school and the wifi there blocks Fanfiction as a "Forum", so I can't post what I have written until I can find time around Karate and Theatre to get online. I'm sorry, but rest assured this story is still one of my top priorities, and I will continue writing- albeit a little slower than usual.

Oh, and I wrote an alternate ending for this chapter, if I get 15 reviews on this chapter ill post it along with this one! Real reviews, not "Review"... I wanna know what you think! The alternate... It's sad though... YOU'VE BEEN WARNED. Love you all! -Rosie

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

Draco and I left for Hogsmeade, his hand clasped warmly around mine. The murmurs of shock at seeing the two of us together had died down a lot since the second task two weeks ago, now only the Slytherins really cared. Everyone else just shifted on to the new topic of extreme gossip, and let us alone.

We stayed in Hogsmeade for several hours, laughing and drinking our butterbeer, trying a variety of fun sweets. It was the first date I had ever been on, aside from the Yule Ball, and I was having a blast! Who would have guessed that my childhood nemesis, the boy who had once brought me such pain and despair, was now making me laugh with delight as if I was five! He was amazing.

We were getting ready to walk back to Hogwarts, when I noticed a strange dark line protruding from the cuff of his shirt.

"Draco?" I asked questioningly, pointing at it.

He pulled me into a shaded alleyway, and slowly rolled up his sleeve the rest of the way. The dreaded Dark Mark lay engraved into his skin, dark grey and slightly raised. He had tears falling from his eyes as he showed me, begging me not to be upset.

"Mi, Mione, you've got to believe me, I didn't want this," he said, his face twisted up in a strange combination of anger and worry, "My father made me I couldn't help it I swear I want nothing-ah god that hurts- I don't want anything to do with the Dark Lord or his followers!"

I wrapped my arms tight around his neck, pulling him in for a hug. He shakily rested his hands around my waist, making sure his Mark never came in contact with my skin.

"It's okay," I whispered softly in his ear, "I believe you."

"I think I l-" Draco started, cutting off in shock as a loud crack broke the silent moment to pieces.

"Obliviate Maximus Draconius" a voice said firmly.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

She slumped in my arms, as my father announced loudly, "Let this be a lesson to you." And apparated off.

We had been caught. And she was possibly dead because of it.

I WAS SUCH AN IDIOT! I raged at myself as I drug her towards the school, tears about to fall down my face. I should have thought this out! Should have never EVER put her in so much danger! She could be DEAD and it was ONCE AGAIN MY FAULT!

Harry noticed her limp body in my arms, and ran over to me. He didn't ask questions, didn't spare me a second glance, just picked her up and helped me run towards the Hospital Wing.

As soon as we entered the castle, Madame Pomfrey summoned a magical gurney to bring her to the Hospital Wing. Harry and I followed, each holding one of her hands. A short way behind us, Ginny and Blaise ran together, following the gurney and with it Hermione to the Wing. Pomfrey worked over her still form for several hours, late into the night. I was pulled to the side by both Snape and Dumbledore for questioning. I told them both everything.

They sent me to my dorm. There was nothing I could do. Blaise lay in the bed across from me, offering hopeful words every so often, but mostly just listening to me sob myself to sleep.

I woke up with the sun the following morning, running to the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomfrey greeted me, knowing I would be there.

"Is she okay?" I asked frantically.

"Yes," she paused, "But Mister Malfoy, though she is awake, I must warn you-"

I darted past her into the curtained room, running to my Hermione's stretching form.

"Mi!" I shouted in excitement, hugging her, "Im so sorry, so SO sorry!"

"Um-"

"They're tracking down my father right now. I swear, he won't get away with this."

"Uh-"

"I'm so so sorry Mione."

It was then that I realized that instead of returning my meaningful hug, she was sitting stuff as a board, giving me a funny look.

"What the bloody hell, Malfoy!" She shouted at me as I promptly released her, "Get your ferret paws off of me!"

I gaped at her, and before I knew what was happening, a wet tear fell from my cheek.

Madame Pomfrey ran in, dragging me out by the arm.

"Mister Malfoy! If you would let me finish, All memories of you have been erased!"

I broke out sobbing.

"Then it should be a clean slate, right? She doesn't remember me at all?"

Pomfrey slowly shook her head, sadly, and revised her previous sentance.

"Only the good ones have been erased. Your father is a very skilled wizard."

I walked back to Mione, sobbing slightly.

"Listen. I know you hate me. But somewhere in there is the- the Mi who knows me, who loves me, somewhere in your genius brain you know we are right for each other. And- and someday that Mione will find her way out... When she does, I'll be- I'll be waiting, as long as it takes."

A flicker of...something, flashed through her eyes, giving me hope. A hope which was dashed when the spark dissapeared and she opened her mouth, saying, "Sod off, Malfoy."

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I was trapped inside my own skull, seeing out of my eyes as giant mirrors. I was in a circular room with screens lining the walls, playing random happy memories of Draco and I. Looking through the windows that were my eyes, I saw him crying and heard my voice telling him to sod off. I knew what was going on.

I was trapped in my own mind. The me that Draco's influence had shaped, and all the pleasant memories of him his father had repressed, were all stuck in this room in my skull, this section of my mind. The me before Draco's me had taken over my body, ruling over my actions, and the newer wiser me was stuck in here watching things unfold. I couldn't escape. No wand. No magic. Nothing. I was trapped, watching myself break Draco's heart and soul.

I screamed at the top of my lungs, howled and hollered as he walked away from my body, shoulders slumped down and shaking softly. I screamed and punched at the walls and threw myself at the glass windows representing my eyes, but to no avail. It was useless.

I sat against a wall and sobbed into my sleeve, the room dark except for the glare from the screens as my body took a nap.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I stopped crying. Hermione remembered nothing good of me. She didn't care. I needed to move on... But I knew I wouldn't be able to as I was waiting for her memories to resurface.

I hardened my soul, lifted my head, and said it was for the better. Several days went by in a strange blur- only a few moments stood out. Pothead and Weasel both blamed me for what had happened to Hermione. They hated me again. Still. They fed her a twisted turn of events which wasn't completely true, playing me out to be the bad guy the whole way. She believed it, of course, as she had no good memories of what we were.

She made Slughorn reassign Potions partners, something he claimed he was 'going to do anyway', and I was with Schlongbottom. Blaise and Mione were paired, frustrating me beyond belief with their happy giggles; she retained all memories of HIM. He swore there was nothing going on but Potions fun, and I believed him. It still was infuriating to see her smiling all huge, her face bright red with joy, her eyes twinkling, and when she glanced at me, her whole face to drop into a glare. It hurt, but I pretended it didn't.

The third task was in a month. The last task. Then I'd have March to May to focus on my schoolings, to study for passing the exams. Valentines Day was in a week and a half... I had planned doing something sweet for Mi, but that wasn't an option anymore... I now had a large box of her favorite raspberry chocolates that I would never eat- not that I didn't like them, but I couldn't consume the chocolates without feeling everything all over again. So they would sit under my bed, perhaps until I graduated.

Voldemort, on the fateful night I had gained my tattoo, had instructed me to kill Dumbledore on the night of the Third Task. I was morally conflicted over it, as it could mean I survived just that little bit longer, but on the other side it would be taking away the main resource for the witches and wizards fighting the Dark Lord. By killing Dumbledore, I would make Hermione's life one step harder as she fought by Potheads side, would up the chances of her dying, would add multitudes to the My Fault death count. But what other choice did I have but to kill him? Every other slight move against the Dark Lord was reprimanded by death or loss of someone close to me. What if next time Blaise died? Or Hermione?


	17. Chapter 17

ALTERNATE 16

AN/:  
So didnt exactly get the fifteen reviews i was lookig for, more like 1. but i still wanted to post it cuz i really like this... Btw this is not how the story is gonna go. Nothing like this. But sometimes I just get these chances and I have to write something about it XD so yeah XD the real chapter 17 should be up soon, imma post it when I can. It'll continue from the original chapter 16. Love you all! Oh btw I apologize now XD -Rosie

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

Draco and I left for Hogsmeade, his hand clasped warmly around mine. The murmurs of shock at seeing the two of us together had died down a lot since the second task two weeks ago, now only the Slytherins really cared. Everyone else just shifted on to the new topic of extreme gossip, and let us alone.

We stayed in Hogsmeade for several hours, laughing and drinking our butterbeer, trying a variety of fun sweets. It was the first date I had ever been on, aside from the Yule Ball, and I was having a blast! Who would have guessed that my childhood nemesis, the boy who had once brought me such pain and despair, was now making me laugh with delight as if I was five! He was amazing.

We were getting ready to walk back to Hogwarts, when I noticed a strange dark line protruding from the cuff of his shirt.

"Draco?" I asked questioningly, pointing at it.

He pulled me into a shaded alleyway, and slowly rolled up his sleeve the rest of the way. The dreaded Dark Mark lay engraved into his skin, dark grey and slightly raised. He had tears falling from his eyes as he showed me, begging me not to be upset.

"Mi, Mione, you've got to believe me, I didn't want this," he said, his face twisted up in a strange combination of anger and worry, "My father made me I couldn't help it I swear I want nothing-ah god that hurts- I don't want anything to do with the Dark Lord or his followers!"

I wrapped my arms tight around his neck, pulling him in for a hug. He shakily rested his hands around my waist, making sure his Mark never came in contact with my skin.

"It's okay," I whispered softly in his ear, "I believe you."

"I think I l-" Draco started, cutting off in shock as a loud crack broke the silent moment to pieces.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I saw my father as if in slow motion, appear and stab her through the back, the knife protruding out her front, poking me slightly in the stomach. She let out a strangled squeak and collapsed into me, her blood soaking into my clothing.

"It's for the better," my father said as he apparated away.

I had no thoughts that weren't HER as I ran to the castle, carrying her in my arms. I shouted and hollered, resulting in McGonagall racing out of the castle to see what was happening. She paled and made a magical gurney drive Hermione to the Hospital Wing. I followed, sobbing. This was all my fault! Again, I tried to make someone happy, and a loved one dies for it. I hoped my mother would take care of her. I held Hermione's limp hand as Madame Pomfrey worked, laboring over the girls still form for hours. At several points Dumbledore came in to question me, I answered everything with a numb feeling. This sort of thing didn't happen in a thousand lifetimes, let alone twice in mine!

Harry, Ron, Blaise, several people came in and out of the Wing, checking in on her and saying goodbye to Mione.

Madame Pomfrey told me she wasn't going to make it.

I told her to keep trying.

Her heartbeat got weaker and weaker, and with it my will to stay.

I told Mi to keep trying.

If she died, I didn't know what I would do.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

Pain.

Lots of pain.

But a pleasant pressure on my right hand.

As long as the pressure remained, I would be okay.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

On he third day of constant care and attention, her heart stopped. I felt it before Madame Pomfrey made me leave, but I knew it all the same. I left sobbing, heading to the Gryffindor tower. The Fat Lady let me in, knowing perhaps what was happening.

I ran to her dorm, to her bed, sobbing burning tears into her pillow that smelled of Amortentia. My true love... My only love... Gone. Because of me.

I felt as if she needed me, as if wherever she was, she wanted me to join her, so I resolved to.

I wrote a quick note, leaving it on Mi's tear-drenched pillow, and went to the Astronomy Tower.

Hermione, I'm coming.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

The pressure faded away, and the pain did too for a minute, but large electrical shocks brought it back. No pressure, but the pain. Black shifted to red, to black, to purple, back to black as the pain rose and fell. But the pressure never returned.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I stood on the edge of the Astronomy Tower, ready to fall. My mother, my Mione, both gone because of me. I couldn't live with it a second longer.

Tears ran a river down my face for the final time as I pictured my mom and Hermione waiting for me, just three steps away. I could see no better path than to join them, no brighter light than the one at the end of the tunnel.

I heard Hermione's voice saying my name, an echo of a memory, and I leaped.

As I fell, in slow motion, I pictured every time she had smiled, every time we had kissed, the night we spent under the grip of a love potion, every moment that I had loved her for. And as I finished falling, the pictures ceased to come.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I opened my eyes after days and days of pain, howling for Madame Pomfrey.

She came to me, and explained what had happened with Lucius. I asked her where Draco was... She shook away my question. I was sent back to my own dorm two days after, still no idea where Draco was.

I went to my dorm in the dead of night, hoping to avoid questions until I could talk to Draco.

My bed was ruffled, my pillow out of place. A strange smell of Amortentia arose from it.

There was a note on my pillow. From the handwriting I knew whose it was. I opened my locket, listened to the music, smelled the soft scent of Draco, and read:

'Hermione. Mi. Mione. You'll never read this. But before I tell you in person, I need to tell you on paper.

'I love you. You died today. And the moment I realized what you meant to me was the moment life faded from your body. I killed you, Mi, I killed you with my foolishness. Just like I did to my mother.

'Im sorry, my Mione, for killing you. I will regret it for the absolute rest of my meaninglessly short life. You were a shining star in my sea of darkness, a candle in the shadow of my soul. You had a life ahead of you, a future so much bigger and brighter than me, I'm sorry.

'Ill see you soon, my love.'

I broke down sobbing as I realized what had happened.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

The white light faded and I found myself looking down on a bandaged up Hermione, reading my letter.

She had survived?

If I was capable of crying, or shouting, I would have.

Instead, I followed her.

I needed her.

I attended my own funeral.

With her.

Two months passed, and she cried herself to sleep every night.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

Two long months had gone by since The Incident, and I was still a numb shell.

I showed no emotion except for numb. I felt nothin but the overwhelming depression that arises from a situation such as this.

I couldn't do this.

I cried myself to sleep every night.

I watched them pour dirt over his coffin.

I was the only one at the funeral, outside of Dumbledore.

Nobody talked to me, or at least nobody I registered.

Life was hell.

It was raining. He loved the smell of rain on the grass...

I went to his large marble headstone in his family's cemetery, tracing my fingers over the words written there for the thousandth time.

'Here Lies Draco Malfoy' was all it said, plus the dates. I came here too often, opening my locket and relishing in the small amount we were connected.

Wherever he was, he loved me still.

I broke down crying over the simple words, unable to express what his life had been, who he was, how he had impacted me. I cried over the unfairness of it all. I cried over the thought of being sick of crying.

And I cried over the pain rushing over my body as I cast a fatal spell.

As my vision faded in and out, I saw him standing there, holding his hand out.

'I'm sorry' said a voice in my head.

I reached up and took his hand, fading into the white.


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER 17

AN/:  
Here you are! Make sure you read the Whose POV is this Line Breaks, cuz yeah. Theyre central to this chapter. Love you all, read and review please! About to break 5,000 views 3  
-Rosie

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I banged and screamed at the window of my eyes for days and days, making no progress. As a fiction of my own imagination, was I doomed to die in here? Was there other 'selves' like me that I had grown out of, that stayed in their own little cubicle? But as a fiction of my own imagination, I had to be created for a purpose, right? So I must escape eventually! Otherwise there would be no need for my brain to create me, and I'd never exist! These deep psychological thoughts gave my beating and howling new life, as I battered on the wall, the screens, the glass.

I would get out.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I watched her more than I probably should have. Everyone knew I was still after her, no matter how hard I tried to convince myself and her that I was done. My facade was see-through.

She knew we had dated. She knew, but didn't remember. She knew everything through a twisted filter of Weasel's mouth. The mouth, that, as I glanced across the Great Hall at breakfast, was pressed up against hers with a passion.

Stupid sodding Weasel.

Potter looked awkwardly away as they grew more and more intertwined, not releasing each other until McGonagall came over to talk to them about 'the right time and place'.

"Relax mate," B said, tapping me on the shoulder, "She never forgot what he did to her. She'll be outta there by the end of the week."

The glass of sweet pumpkin juice I held in my right hand shattered in my deathly tight grip I wasn't aware of having.

I stormed off to my first class of the day. Stupid Mudblood, messing up my life like this. Stupid sodding Mudblood.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I retched off to one side of my little home, knowing Ron was slurping all over me. He was... Not who I wanted. Not who I wanted at all. I wanted control of my body again! Instead my lovesick for Ron body was ruining the life that should rightfully be mine! I wanted it to be my Draco that was getting kissed, DRACO'S hands on my hips, DRACO holding me tight! Not this ghost from my past!

Draco was a Death Eater. After reliving the moment he had confessed over and over on one of the screens inside the room, I had processed it. He was forced into it. He was. I knew he'd never want to follow in his father's footsteps, not after what Lucius had done to his mother. After he told me that the very first day we talked, screen one on the wall, I felt the need to express myself to him, the need to show that I shared in his misery. My mother too was dead... My father as well. They had died over the summer, a dementor attack on my house while I was spur-of-the-moment at my friend Drea's. Muggles couldn't withstand the Dementor's Kiss the way wizards could. It killed them.

Those dementors were coming for me.

But instead they took my family away.

I emphasized with Draco completely.

I knew he didn't want to be a Death Eater, like I wouldn't want to be a Dementor. I trusted him fully and completely.

Oh, how I missed him.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

Charkle flew around me while I visited the Owlery. She didn't like Hermione much after the Incident with my father. It was like that tiny thread of trust tying the two together had been broken with that spell. Just like another green and gold thread tying the two of us together, a single wave of the wand and everything was broken.

Weasel and Mi were growing farther and farther apart already, no surprise there. Blaise's idea was that she was only dating him because in forgetting me, she still felt love for someone, and as she used to like Ron and now Ron liked her, those feelings for me projected themselves onto HIM. I loved the idea of her having feelings for me.

I hated that she chose the Weasel.

I sent the Ministry of Magic my letter that I had finished earlier, explaining in great detail about what had happened to Hermione and how that came about. At first they didn't believe me, but after I swore them my memories if my information was false, they became a little more trusting. Charkle flew off into the distance holding my emotionless letter, and I returned to my dorm.

The Slytherins all hated me now. They picked and teased mercilessly, now over both the fact that I had fallen for a Gryffindor, and that she rejected me for the Weasel within a month.

I endured the laughing, the pointing, the glaring, the spells, if for nothing more than the fact that Hermione endured this torture for six years so far. Most of it had came from me. If she could be strong to me, I could be strong because of her.

I fell deeper and deeper for her every day, though she didn't know or reciprocate, she was mine.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I stood on the edge of the window, peering out into the outside world. I had begun doing this a lot. There wasn't much else to occupy my time with. I couldn't even sleep, really. I could lay with my eyes closed for days, but sleep was impossible here.

The castle was covered in hearts and flowers. Everywhere was pink and red and white and icky. Even Professor Dumbledore had a pink robe on. Must be Valentines Day.

My body was eating breakfast in the library when a small owl tapped on the glass. It was a school owl, so she opened the window to let him in.

The owl dropped a package wrapped in silver at her feet.

I recognized the wrapping. It was from Draco. She wouldn't though, she didn't recall the beautiful locket that was still around our neck at all times.

Earlier-Me had a smart thought, and ran up to her dorm to open the gift. There was nobody there right now, the other four girls were all down eating breakfast and flirting probably. She ripped open the package in our methodical fashion, first the corners, then unfold, as we both peered on eagerly to see-

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I decided against everything I had assumed to send her the chocolates. At the least, there would be a smile on her face that was from my bringing. But hopefully, it sparked some memories of me. She still wore my locket every day, and that gave me hope.

I sent the chocolates in the same silver wrapping that I had used on the chocolates, but I used a school owl. She wouldn't know who sent them. Hopefully, MY Hermione would return and she would feel again.

I saw her, later that day, munching on the raspberry-filled little sticks, working on Potions with Blaise. She glanced up at me for a second, and I sent her a smirk. No spark or anything in her eyes, even as she was eating her favorite food that I had sent her, her favorite food she had never told anyone else about. She didn't know who knew, or how, but I knew that smile was from me.

If I had to send her some every other day to make her happy, if that was the only way she would let me make her happy, I would. I'd do anything to see that buck-toothed grin.

~^~^~OUTER-HERMIONE~^~^~

I lost my ability to feel anything, slowly, gradually. At first it was little things, like I couldn't really get excited for Transfiguration.

But then I got worse.

I stopped feeling for Ron.

I stopped smiling.

I feel numb, I feel nothing.

I feel as if I am only a shell.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

As my body ate the chocolates, they appeared inside my room. I wondered what that meant.

It's possible that this link tying Draco and I together was my chance back to him. It's possible that when I ate one, I would retake my body, or find a way out.

It's also possible that I would be stuck forever, trapped like Persiphone from Greek mythology. I knew the rules. You weren't to eat or drink anything when you had no bodily reason to. And I wasn't hungry in the slightest.

I stared at them, stared and stared, my mind working over their very existence. Why were they here?

I didn't know. I wasn't sure I wanted to.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

Madame Pomfrey informed me that as the spell lasted longer, she quit feeling any emotion, not just her love for me. That sent chills up my spine.

What came next was even worse.

"If we don't find a way to reverse the spell soon, she might die. Her body will quit feeling anything, and slowly shut down into a lethargic death... Mr. Malfoy, I assure you, we will do everything we can."


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER 18

AN/:  
So HI! I just wanted to tell you, I have a few of my own original short stories written, and I WISH I COULD POST THEM HERE but I can't cuz they're not fanfiction... So yeah. They're on my Wattpad, King3Rosie. You should check em out if you like my Dramione babbles. Love you all, read and review! ~~Rosie

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

Snape came up to me, lookin like an overgrown bat from hell.

"Mr. Malfoy, I must speak to you in my office," he drawled, leading me into the tight dark area that was Snape's workplace. He cast a few sound spells, making sure nobody could hear us, as I sat in one of his chairs. What the crap was this about?

"Draco," he said, sounding rushed, "It is my understanding that you have been instructed by our Dark Lord to kill Dumbledore on the night of your Third Task."

I nodded silently, every hair on my body standing on end as I thought of the dreaded event.

"After the task, some things are going to happen. You must win the task. You must.

"Do not let the Potter boy win. After you win the Triwizard Tournament, head to the top of the Astronomy Tower. Dumbledore will be there. Draco-

"Don't kill him. Make it seem as if you tried, but don't kill him. That Granger will feel the wrath of my wand if you kill the old coot. I'll be up there as soon as I can to take care of things.

"Do not let the Dark Lord know about this... Change of events."

I nodded again, mentally thinking about everything that was set to happen in the two days following. He dismissed me, and I left.

Honestly, I had forgotten about the Triwizard Tournament until Snape brought it up. I wasn't worried about that anymore, only by the beautiful girl that was now in the Hospital Wing, rotting away because of me. She was, and would always be, my top priority. I just wish she would wake up and accept that, maybe even return it.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

The chocolates sat. And sat. And sat. I didn't know what else to do besides sit and look at them.

My shell had been taken to the hospital wing. From what I could gather, all the other emotions were being 'stored' the way I was. She felt nothing anymore... I was dying.

So I decided to try a chocolate.

My fingers tingled as I picked one up, glancing over the neat box of them to pick up a smaller-sized one. I broke it open, watched the gooey red filling drip for a second, and took the smallest bite.

My world exploded.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

The end was near for her.

I knew it as soon as I saw her body.

She was lying sunken into the bed sheets, frail and desperate.

Her eyes were open but unmoving.

I had come to check on her every day, but today had been the worst. Everyone doubted shed survive long enough to find a counter curse. I doubted too, but still I stayed.

I sat next to her as I had every day, holding her hand gently and talking to her. Somewhere, she had to hear me. She was in this...shell. And I would find her, or so I hoped. With every passing moment my resolve got weaker and weaker.

I was telling her about Potions class yesterday when she suddenly went rigid, tensing her whole body and gripping my hand like a vice. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she let out a loud moan, and began to shake uncontrollably.

"POMFREY!" I yowled, holding Hermione as still as I could.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I began to retake my body bit by bit, the energy from the chocolates fueling me. I grew larger and larger, or perhaps my room just shrunk, as the soaring feeling of ALIVE AGAIN overtook my thoughts. Everything was brighter, more colorful, more vivid. I could smell and taste the air around me, I could feel everything, I was alive!

And then I began to shrink. My senses dulled as Pomfrey cast a spell over my almost-mine-again body, and I went back to the grey dull boring existence within my shell. I screamed in frustration, clawing at the walls, punching the screens, destroying anything and everything I could. I was furious.

"LET ME OUTTT!" I yowled as loud as I could, trying and failing to change into my Animagus form. I dipped down into a dark troubling blackness.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

The Third Task was upon me, and with it, the Dark Lord. I stayed up for hours readying myself for the ordeal I was to face tomorrow.

You'd think my mind would be more consumed with the pressing matters of life and death I saw stretching out before me, but like magnetism Hermione pulled my thoughts to her. I became consumed studying the spell for a cure, a way to fix her, a way to get her back, that I fell asleep reading at around 3 am, the third task forgotten.

When I awoke, it was 8:56. Four minutes until the third Task begun. I darted out of the castle, regretting that I had no time to say goodbye to Hermione. I had a bad feeling about today, a worse feeling than usual. Today would not be good.

In the tent, arriving one minute before the Task begun, I was briefed. A magical obstacle course, testing our knowledge of the magical world, was about to begin.

We lined up at the finish line, going in the order of who was the most successful in previous tasks. I was second, Potter first, the Durmstrang idiot behind me, and the girl in last.

Potter's signal sounded, and he raced through the tall tall gate. I had a minute before I would be doing the same. The course was set up to force all of us to go through the same course, no room to take a different path, but it was glamoured so we wouldn't see each other until someone grabbed the trophy.

I thought about what was to happen after the Task. Would I ever see Hermione again? After the event, unless Voldemort was defeated, I would have to go on the run. Snape was planning an Anti-Dark Lord movement, and I didn't know what part I played, but I doubted I'd be able to keep my facade of blind servant. I didn't WANT to keep that facade running any longer.

The alarm sounded, and I raced through the gate into the deep black maze.


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER 19

AN/: Hey! Sorry, I know the last chapter I wrote was a filler, but it was necessary. We are looking at maybe five more chapters left in this book, possibly six? I'm considering making a sequel, but I'm on the fence. You guys will have to tell me what you think after I post it all 3 Love you! Read and review! -Rosie

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I had the chocolates there, sitting there, waiting to be eaten, but I couldn't brin myself to. What if I still couldn't get out? My body was dying, maybe it was better I was incapable of feeling it shut down... I didn't want to hurt.

But I was a Gryffindor. A brave, loyal Gryffindor. And Gryffindor students didn't take the easy way out. I needed to speak to Draco. One last time. And it had to be ME. I decided to eat a chocolate or two the next time I saw him.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

The dark was overwhelming at first, but my eyes adjusted. I darted along the skinny dirt path, tall walls of stone on either side, looking for the first test of skills. Potter was a minute ahead of me, at least. But I'd catch up. I couldn't let Potter win, or Hermione would get hurt- possibly killed- by Snape.

I ran into a clearing, and immediately backed up into the path again. There was a hole in the center of the clearing that was slowly growing larger and larger. The path continued on the far side of the gap, but it was too large to jump.

"Accio broom," I tried, focusing all my mental energy on picturing my broom. I waited a couple seconds, holding my hand out, but nothing happened. I began to pace around the edge of the steadily growing hole, thinking.

I pointed my wand at a rock on the ground, stood on it, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa", flying into the air on top of the levitating rock. I slowly hovered over the gap, concentrating hard on my goal, trying to avoid looking down at the abyss I was now separated from by only a thin piece of stone.

My stone began to falter. It was exceedingly difficult to levitate the stone with all of my weight on it, and gravity was beginning to get the better of me. It slowed down, lowering slightly. I screwed up my eyes and concentrated as hard as I could on lifting my own body weight across this giant gap, but to no avail. The rock began to drop, so I leaped across the three feet remainder of the gap.

My feet landed on the very edge, in danger of slipping into the hole, so I crawled forward a few feet, and began running down the path.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

Things were going grey outside of my small room. When I looked out of the Eyes, all I saw was a greywashed ceiling. Even things that should have been colored, such as the gold light that sat in the corner, was grey as an old picture.

I was dying.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

The next clearing had a large green bush in the middle, the stone walls hardly squeezing around it. The plant-like thing was easily over 10 feet tall, the vines swirling dangerously.

"REDUCTO!" I screamed, pointing my wand at it, "Relashio!"

The plant became aware of me then, and reached the leafy tendrils out towards where I was standing. I began to back up the path, thinking quickly.

"Finite Incantum!"

Nothing happened. The vines sped up, reaching around first my wrist, then my chest. I was slowly dragged towards the flailing green blob, trying my best to get away. Frantically shooting spells at the branches as fast as I could, I began to freak out.

As the vines tightened and grew over my face, all I could think of was Hermione. SHE paid attention in Herbology. SHE would know what to do. Her knowledge of plants had saved the Golden Trio multiple times, like with the Devils snare!

This plant was similar to it, so I decided to try what she did, just to see.

I summoned a small bluebell flame as I drew one last smothered gasp of air, hoping and praying to make it out alive.

The plant recoiled as if it had been slapped, releasing its stranglehold around my neck and face, and slithering away down into the corner. I kept the flame pointed towards it as I gasped for breath, running down the next path.

After about two minutes of running, I saw the glowing trophy at the end of the tunnel. After three more minutes of exhausted sprinting, it remained the same distance away. There was a repeating spell in place here; I could feel it.

I stopped running briefly to snap one of the uniform ivy-branches lining the brick walls, throwing it to the ground. True to my hypothesis, I now saw the broken branch every six or seven feet. I halted by the branch, moving it forward or backward until I found the little niche in the surrounding loop and the branch disappeared. I backed through the small magical rip, dropping a foot to the dirt floor which I knew to be the true one. I ran forward, into the last clearing.

Potter ran beside me, suddenly there. We still had possibly 20 yards to go until the Trophy.

We ran neck and neck, just like our old Quidditch games, but without the brooms. He began to take a slight lead on me with ten yards to go.

I had to get this! For Hermione!

I tried shouting out to him, but my voice was hoarse and quiet from the Devil's Snare tree earlier.

He was almost there, almost there.

I was laggin behind.

Something large flew underneath me, carrying me towards the cup, soaring over Potter's head. My broom! I had forgotten I summoned it!

I reached forward, grabbing the cup tightly between my fingers, thinking of nothin but the fact that I had saved Hermione's life.

And then all hell broke loose.


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER 20

AN/:  
So I just started watching Sherlock... Yep I'm a Cumberbitch XD Kay that's all for now, love ya 3 -Rosie

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

Even through the black-and-white screen, I knew something was wrong. My world got darker, more threatening, as a large shadow fell over my body.

Bellatrix Lestrange looked over my still form, and cackled evilly.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

The Dark Mark rose from the trophy I still grasped tightly between my clammy hands as Potter backed away in shock. He and I watched as the two other champions entered the clearing, staring at us with wands at the ready. I blinked, and we were forcefully apparated into Hogwarts. I ran off towards the Astronomy Tower as I had promised Snape, and the others ran off the opposite way, towards the Great Hall where everyone was no doubt bunkered down.

My fathers friends shot spells all around me, never hitting, but guarding my back from the Aurors that tried to fight. I didn't like this. I didn't want this.

Up to the top of the Astronomy tower I flew, circling the stairs as fast as my legs would take me. Dumbledore was at the top, leaning over the ledge, casting spells at the Dark Mark in the sky to make it go away.

My Mark was burning.

Something flew out of the Mark's mouth, barreling down towards the ground.

Voldemort.

"Professor!" I screamed, panic alighting my face.

He spun around and cast a body bind on me, making me hold completely still.

Hermione slowly, blankly walked up the stairs behind us, Aunt Bella's wand poking into her back.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

She made me stand up, made my body walk down the halls. I was protected by her, she was saving me for something spectacular. I was terrified, trying to find the chocolates in my little hole of a head.

I walked to the top of the stairs, dully, everything in grey. Professor Dumbledore was there, looking at me, and so was Draco.

Draco!

Oh, no.

She shot a petrifying curse at Dumbledore. He froze, rigid.

"Now, Draco," she hissed, "Kill him now..."

He couldn't move. It was obvious he had been frozen by someone, probably Dumbledore. She seemed to hold it against Draco though.

"Kill him now! Or the pretty little Mudblood gets it!"

His eyes widened and he began to panic, I could almost hear his thoughts screaming out at me.

Bellatrix shook her head of wild curls and cackled loudly.

"Your choice, Drakie. I'm sure if she survives the Mudblood won't blame you!"

She lit up her wand with a blood red glow, pressing the tip to my shell's wand as I pressed my face up against the glass to see what was happening.

Burning searing pain attacked my left arm. I howled- both inside and out- as a gash appeared under the tip of her wand. It cut deep, was painful. I screamed as she made yet another gash, and another.

I crawled in agony across my circular room, finding the chocolates in an instant and popping the whole stack into my mouth. Again, the feeling of expanding and growing out of my shell overtook me as I retook my body.

I screamed, crying as the pain got worse and worse.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

As my aunt began to torture her before my eyes, Hermione regained that...spark. That part of her that made her HERMIONE. I thought- hoped, my Granger was back.

And then she began to scream and howl in pain.

My heart broke, watching the beautiful girl I was falling for, wish for death a thousand times over.

Auntie Bella carved the word Mudblood on her arm, slowly, torturously. When she was done, she dropped her to the ground, an passed by Snape on his way up.

Snape took a glance at Bella's retreating form, and peered through the darkness at the surroundings.

Dumbledore was still frozen, his eyes wide with horror trying to break the strong curse that bound him. Snape walked over to the old man, looked him directly in the eyes, and pushed him off the ledge.

I screamed.

Hermione transformed into a cat, and leaped onto Snape, clawing at his eyes with the meager strength that remained in her beaten body.

He smashed her down and sent the spell to right an Anamagi. I was still frozen, still useless, still wanting to run to her, to hug her, kiss her, make those tears running down her face halt as she mourned the father-like headmaster we had all held dear.

She yelled in frustration, a primal scream, and punched him in the face, then ran to me.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

My mind was consumed with grief. I was angry, sad, furious, everything all at once. I wished death and misery on Snape, wished him the same as Voldemort... Possible worse.

But Draco needed me, so I collected myself with a final punch to his hooked nose.

"Draco!" I shouted, sending the spell to unfreeze him.

He ran to me, pulling me into his arms.

I remembered all the pain I had caused, all the misery he must have felt as I rejected him, as my shell took over, and I wept. He pulled my face up, looked at me, and kissed me deeply.

I loved him for it.

No words were spoken, just hugs and kisses, just the silent assurance of each others arms. I was complete. I had found my way out of myself, and I had found my way to him. I was complete.

Snape barged into our sweet moment, grabbing Draco and dragging him away as more Death Eaters ran up the stairs, Draco still trying to return to me.

"Stay safe, Granger!" He yelled, his face red with dangerous emotions, "I love you!"

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

"I love you!" I screamed as she stopped crying and began to duel with the assorted Death Eaters surrounding her. I shot a few spells as Snape dragged me off.

As we left, the others left around us. We went with them for a ways, then separated.

"We aren't going back," Snape said coldly, sorrowfully.

"I have to." My Hermione was out there, she was out there and she needed me. I couldn't just walk- run away after that.

I needed her.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

The battle was long; hard. We fended them off for now, but at what cost?

Voldemort was still out there.

So was Bellatrix.

My arm stung with the marks she left behind, Mudblood a permanant reminder of how much less I was than the others around me.

Several people were unaccounted for; among them were Ron, Pansy, Lavender, Ginny, Draco, and Luna- who had apparated as soon as she found out about what was happening.

All were presumed dead.

I was scared.

Harry ran up to me, hugging me in his brotherly way.

"M sorry, Mione," he said softly, making me break down and cry in his arms. I let everything go, all the pain, all the torture I had gone through, all the everything, loose into the air as he held me, as we cried together. He drew back, after a few minutes.

"Ginny's gone," he said, "They think she's dead." His numb emotionless tone made me sob harder, as I knew exactly what he was going through.

He and I were friends again, were close again, but at what cost?


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER 21

AN/:

So maybe two, three more chapters? And ill either do a sequel or an epilogue, depending on the feedback. Tell me what you think! Love you all, read and review 3 Rosie

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

We were roughing it. Camping in the woods with only what our wands could provide.

We had to be careful. The Dark Lord knew who had killed the man, and we would both die soon if he found us.

This man, Voldemort, that I had been raised in fear of, that I had been taught to revere and worship, to follow the every word of, was the man I was running from. The man I disobeyed for a Muggleborn. The man who might be trying to kill me.

Hermione was worth it.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

Harry and I were sitting, our knees touching, on a fragment of a bench. The Order was cleaning up Hogwarts, and all the survivors were going through role to see who was there. Ron and Luna turned up, buried under a stone pillar, dead. From how the bodies were positioned, it looked as if Ron was shielding her... He didn't deserve death. Luna didn't deserve death. Nobody did.

Pansy was found in the Black Lake, drowned, her body returned by the mermaids. Lavender was on the ground, shot by a killing curse.

Draco and Ginny's bodies were never recovered.

Snape was gone as well, but everyone assumed he had defected to Voldemort again.

George was dead; killed in the last seconds as the death eaters fled. The Weasley's mourned two lost sons tonight. Fred was devastated, sobbing and clinging to the body of George as if by crying, he could bring his twin back from the veil. Molly pulled him off eventually; the Order dragged his body carefully next to the multitudes of other casualties.

Professor McGonagall took over as the Headmistress, at least temporarily. She sent the students all home to their families, to cherish the life left.

This was a tragedy.

It was only the beginning.

I walked over to Fred, holding his hand in comfort.

He looked up at me, his eyes red, and said quietly, "I am going to kill them."

"Fred-"

"They killed my twin. They killed my brother. They killed my sister," he said, tears rolling down his face, "I am going to make them pay!"

"Freddie," I started, wrapping my arms around him, "Ill help you."

A patronus appeared in front of the two of us as we seperated, a slinky ferret, and spoke to me in a familiar voice.

"I'm alive. On the run. Voldemort will kill me if he finds me. Snape's with me. The weas- Ginny is being held captive," Fred tensed next to me, staring intently as it continued, "They are trying to use her to get to Potter. Don't reply, don't come after me. I love you, stay safe."

The patronus vanished, and I fell to my knees crying.

"HARRY!" Fred screamed, unnecessarily loud, "GINNY'S A HOSTAGE!"

Fred gently pulled me to my feet, hugging me to his firm chest, stroking my hair. Harry came running up, followed by several Order members.

"Ginny's a hostage, Draco and Snape are on the run," I related briefly, "we need to stop Voldemort."

"Noted." an Auror I did not recognize said shortly, and went off to talk to McGonagall. Harry followed, probably going to write up a plan or something.

Why was this happening? He loved me, but he was in danger. He would die if he ever stopped running. What sort of life would that be? I wasn't sure how my feelings had progressed for him... I was falling, but not exactly in love yet. Maybe with more time... Time that we would never get. But for right now, my focus would be on saving Gin, healing Fred, and helping Harry as much as I could. Draco... He could fend for himself out there... As much as it hurt to think, he didn't need me, and my energies were better spent working on bringing down Voldemort. If I was successful... Perhaps Draco could return to me.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I finished whispering to my Patronus, sending it off as I spied on Alecto and Amycus who were torturing Weaselette.

My arm burned. Burned like fire, like death. My Mark was turning a sickly green, eating away at the skin around the wound. Snape's was still normal, still fine, but mine was slowly getting worse and worse. My veins around that area were turning black, slowly spreading up and down my arm, beginning to poison my bloodstream.

I was going to die, unless someone stopped the Dark Lord.

Snape and I, we were working on it as much as we could, him knowing more about these Horcrux-things than any of the other Death Eaters. Voldemort, he had transplanted his soul into various items, and they were keeping him alive. A few had already been destroyed; a diary-thing, a special ring, and a cup belonging to Helga Hufflepuff that Snape had destroyed before the Third Task. There were two more that Snape knew about; Nagini and Ravenclaw's Diadem, and one in Voldemort, but the last one was never told to him. Voldemort believed it to not exist, but Snape said it did. I didn't know what to believe... But we were on our way to finding the location of the lost diadem.

I would make Hermione's world a safe place to be.

Or I would die trying.


	23. Chapter 23

CHAPTER 22

AN/: so this is the second to last chapter! Feedback needed, should I do an epilogue or a sequel? :3 PLEASE READ AND REVIEW I love hearing from all of you I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH this story has been a dream to write PLEASE LOVE ME TOO 3 Rosie

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

We slayed the snake last night, taking out one of 3 horcruxes outside of his body. My arm was festering even worse than ever, burning and spreading to my chest. I had lost most use of my left arm... According to Snape, I was pale, sickly even. I wouldn't last much longer.

And we were hardly closer to the death of Him.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

Blaise, Fred, Harry, Neville, and I all sat around in a circle inside a small clearing in the Forbidden Forest two weeks after the Hogwarts War. My bag was charmed to be endless, an undetectable engorgement charm, and all of our stuff was packed within it.

We were setting out to find Ginny, to defeat Voldemort.

I sent a Patronus to Draco, my otter squirming away, whispering, "We are going to find you. Fighting Voldemort. Be safe. Don't worry."

Soon, one returned, another ferret, who replied, "We are taking out his defenses, find Ginny. Must leave, will send news on when he is defenseless. Horcruxes. Stay safe."

Horcruxes?

Harry filled us in on the brief bit he had learned from Dumbledore before his untimely demise, explaining what they were. I gasped slightly, as I realized Draco was trying to destroy Voldemort's soul, piece by piece.

Blaise spoke up, "So we go after Ginny then, killing the Death Eaters who stand in our way?"

Neville nodded, shaking slightly, "And when we get the signal from Malfoy, we find You-Know-Who."

Fred shook his head softly, sitting next to me, "Can we really trust Malfoy though? He's a Death Eater himself!"

I turned my gaze on him. "Yes we can."

Blaise nodded vigorously, "He is trustworthy."

Fred conceded, "Okay," he said, "But there has to be more we can do!"

"When we find Gin," said Harry, "We help track down the Horcruxes."

"Voldemort will not survive," I said, afraid of the intense sureness in my voice, "We will defeat him."

"For Ron," interjected Harry.

Blaise added, "And Pansy."

"Luna," said Neville.

Fred added, "George," in a painful voice.

"Dumbledore. And everyone else." I said, standing up and grabbing my bag.

We stood, clearing away our tracks, and apparated to the Leaky Cauldron, getting ready to begin our search.

I glanced around the familiar setting, immediately going into a panic. I whipped my wand out as Harry shot a spell at the small woman like Death Eater aiming her wand at us. We began to duel with our surroundings, as numbers of Death Eaters began to attack.

We had known some Death Eaters escaped from Azkaban, but not so many! Not that they had taken over the Wizarding World!

We were surrounded. There was no way out. My mind began to race, I began to worry, as they began to squeeze us in a smaller and smaller circle.

Fred grabbed my left hand, squeezing it tightly. I was momentarily confused, but then I got the idea. I grabbed Neville's hand, and he linked with Blaise, who touched Harry, who grabbed my other wrist, and we disapparated.

I blinked twice and found myself on a mountain covered in snow. Harry released my wrist, putting protective spells up around the area. I released my grip on Fred to dig around in my bag for the tent, pulling it out and setting it up with a wave of my wand.

Neville climbed inside, opening the flaps for the rest of us.

The tent itself was rather large, several rooms, two bedrooms, and a warm fire always flickering. We gathered in the main sitting room, it's tan-orange walls strangely comforting, and quietly sat around the fire.

Blaise sat to my left, Fred to my right, on the small couch; Harry sat on the floor in front of the flickering flame, while Neville went to go find food in the kitchen.

Harry spoke up, "This is going to be harder than I thought."

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I could hardly walk; everywhere we turned there was more Death Eaters. It was only a matter of time before I couldn't escape fast enough, and Snape left me behind.

He scoffed at my love for the Muggleborn, Granger. One night, as I sighed and traced a picture- the only picture I had of her- gently with my finger, he got fed up.

"Mister Malfoy," he began in his Professor Voice, "I beg you to quit sulking over that stupid girl-"

"She's not stupid!" I interjected.

"Listen," he said, calmly but sternly, "I know how you feel."

"I once loved a girl... A beautiful girl, a Muggleborn girl. Her name was Lily Evans."

His voice got softer, more tender, as he spoke of her, "Lily and I grew up together. She was my closest friend... When she was sorted into Gryffindor, we both were upset. She wanted to be with me, to be close to me... But as the years passed, we were pushed apart. Stupid Potter always had to have his way... He loved her too, you see. Harry's dad.

"She came crying to me one night, met me in our secret place, saying that she had seen Potter kissing another girl, that he was cheating, that she was heartbroken. I knew in that moment that I could tip the balance, between him and I. I could have her as my own. If I denounced him, she would come to me, be mine. But I knew she would be happier with him. I knew she would be safer with him. So I let her go. I sent her back to him, I sent her away from me, out of my heart. I let her go.

"Draco, let her go. It'll be the hardest decision you ever make. You'll regret it, you'll hate yourself, you'll hate her, you'll hate whoever she ends up with, but in the end you'll know it's for the better.

"I still love Lily Evans, I always will. But she wouldn't have been happy with me, not as happy as she was with Potter. Do you really think Miss Granger would like to be constantly on the run with us? With you? Do you really think she could stand the whole of the Wizarding World looking down on her for being with you? Do you really think she would be happy? It will be the hardest thing you ever do, but you know what must be done.

"I'm sorry, Mister Malfoy."

"No," I said firmly, "you're wrong."

He smirked, bittersweetly, "I assure you, I am not. Think about it. Think about Her."

"You're wrong," I said, with slightly less conviction.

Hermione wouldn't enjoy my life. She would be okay with me, but happier with someone else, like Weasley. Even Weasley was a better match. I had to let her go.

"Fine!" I said loudly, Snape jumping slightly.

"Hermione, I can't do this," I whispered to my suspiciously otter-shaped ferret Patronus, "Im sorry, we are over. Consider me good as dead."

As my Patronus flew away in a streak of blue light, a single tear fell down my cheek.

"Tell me it gets better," I said to my fatherly Professor, "Please, tell me it's better."

"I would never lie to you," came the sad response.


	24. Chapter 24

CHAPTER 23

AN/:

3 I love you guys 3

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

I broke into gasping choking sobs in Fred's arms as his patronus raced into the night. Why? How could he do this?

I reached for the locket that stayed upon my neck at all times, to find it gone. Gone?! We must have left it behind the last time we switched camps, must have dropped it somewhere, it was gone!

Harry came running into the teal bedroom that Fred and I were in, yelling, "What happened? What's going on? News?" loudly. One glance at us hugging tightly in each others arms, me sobbing heavily, and he understood. He knew. Nothing was wrong to an outsider, just to me.

Fred spoke quickly to Harry, in hushed tones, "He just abandoned her, no rhyme or reason. Have Blaise send a patronus to ask if he is still Horcrux hunting. Ill take care of her."

Harry looked back at me twice, hesitantly. I nodded, and he left; presumably to talk to Blaise.

Fred held me close, running his fingers through my curly brown hair. He didn't speak, knowing perhaps that words would make it worse. He was just there, comforting with his presence alone. He knew... He just knew.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

We moved locations again, jogging to a spot a few miles away from a town full of Death Eaters. I found a nice clearing, a place to sleep for a few nights as we began our planning to raid the Eaters. On the ground was a locket- a familiar locket.

Hermione's locket.

I snatched it up, holding it close to me. I knew that if I opened it, I'd know if she still felt for me or not; and how strong. I wasn't sure I wanted to know.

"Come along then," said Snape, urging me to enter the protective spells.

"Sir," I said, rubbing the locket between my fingers, "If you could know, how strongly Lily Evans felt for you, right now, would you?"

His eyes grew wet as he looked at me, through me, and nodded, "Always. At any point."

"Then, Snape, I'm going to need a minute to myself," I mumbled, walking numbly over to a tree.

I clicked open the locket, holding it close to my ear. The beautifully sweet melody played softly, pulsing between hardly audible and silent. Every time it hit silent, my breath would hitch in my throat and tears would well up, me being convinced that I'd lost her forever. But then it would return ever so quietly, and I would be okay, if only for a second. I closed the locket and strung it around my neck.

It was a bittersweet feeling. On one side, she needed to move on completely... On the other side, I couldn't bear to lose her. I now knew why Snape had always been so mean, so hated. I would be bitter too if I was him- I would be bitter soon regardless.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

Fred held my hand tight as we disapparated. It was the same as it always was, only out of necessities sake, but at the same time it was so much more. Was he getting little chills up his spine as well? Did he hold on a moment longer than was necessary, or was I imagining things? I still pined over Draco, still wished it was his hand I was squeezing with my own. Was it possible I was creating these sudden feelings for Fred as a replacement for what I had lost? Was Fred a rebound, a bounce back?

We were searching, searching for a Death Eater camp which might hold Ginny, or information of Ginny. We had recently run out of Polyjuice, so for this camp we had to turn to more... Old-fashioned... Ways of getting information.

I darted in and grabbed one by the throat, slamming him up against the wall, magically binding him there. His wand I threw into my bag, a spare.

"The redhead. What are the plans for Ginny!" I yelled in his face, waiting for a response.

"Wouldn't you like to know, sweetheart," said the cruel man, a grin on his sadistic face, "But that's classified. So sorry." He laughed. Sick little cockroach.

"Tell me!" I screamed as I jabbed him with my wand, poking him hard in the gut, "Tell me or I swear I will!"

"Hermione!" Blaise came up beside me, pulling me back gently, "Don't worry, ill take care of this one."

"Are you-"

"Go back to the tent, Mione."

I went back to my bunk, feeling like a monster. We had been reduced to tormenting, torturing information out of Death Eaters. We were hardly better than them...

Harry came in a few minutes later, sitting next to me holding his head in his hands, saying, "What have I become, Hermione?"

"We, Harry. What have we become?" I noted, looking at the pain in his bottle-green eyes.

"Ginny wouldn't like to know this." He looked as if by hurting these people, he was hurting his Ginny.

"We can't do this again. Torture was a mistake." A huge mistake.

"It didn't work, anyhow. They just offed each other when we weren't paying attention." I gasped at his words. The people were dead?

"We need more Polyjuice."

"Let's go gather the others."

He and I stood up, feeling as broken as before, and walked out of the tent into the Death Eater camp.

There were six or seven bodies laying around the camp. Blaise was peering at a piece of parchment, sitting on a stump, while Neville and Fred were rifling through pockets.

"Harry," Blaise yelled as he beckoned him over. I followed, as well.

"Look at this! It's like... A map of people!"

Harry's nostrils flared as he examined the parchment. It was similar to the Marauders Map, yet showed all of Britain. Only Death Eaters were on the map. We could see the marks fading of the Eaters that had been slain.

"Wormtail," I whispered to Harry, "Wormtail must have done this."

He nodded in agreement, "Look there," and pointed towards a spot on the map outside of the Forest of Dean, "There's a strange mark there. Do you think that could mean Ginny? The little blob?"

"Let's go see," said Blaise, "It certainly is well-guarded."

True to his words, there were between 15 and 20 little Dark Marks hovering around that area. They were so close together that the words were intelligible.

"Fred! Neville!" Harry yelled, calling them over to explain. We decided to spend a day preparing for our next raid, and would attack tomorrow at dusk.

That night, we all gathered around the fire, tensions high.

Fred took my hand within his own, and spoke quietly to me, "Hermione, in case something goes wrong tomorrow, I just wanted to tell you that I am absolutely crazy for you."

My mind reeled. I had suspected, but I didn't know for sure. Fred was, well he was amazing. I could see myself being happy with him, being in love with him. I could see a future in the arms of the handsome Weasley. But my heart rebelled against the thought.

Draco was who I was meant for! Draco was the one who should be here, saying these words, holding my hand, comforting me! We were destined! The Amortentia, the locket, the everything! I was his special person in the second task! Who was he to deny that! Why would be even try to deny that? He had no right! How dare he try to take my destined soulmate from me! I loved Fred as a brother, but Draco was so much more to me!

Fred redrew his hand, and said sadly, "I can see it's unrequited," looking at me with his large blue eyes, "I'm sorry."

"Fred-"

"You belong to Malfoy. Still. But that's okay, that's okay with me. If he hurts you again, ill be here for you. Ill be here for as long as I can," he said, "Don't you ever forget it."

"Fred..."

He left, going to bed. Neville and Harry followed after a few minutes, until it was just Blaise and I left.

"Mi, Draco needs you. I don't know where he is, or what he's doing, but I know he needs you. Thank you, for sticking with him," he said, and walked into one of the small bedrooms.

I summoned my patronus, speaking a message to it, "No, Malfoy. I'm going to save you. Ill be there for you. As soon as we save Gin, ill be by your side. I love you."

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

I was on my deathbed. The locket sang less and less with each passing minute. My heart was breaking down along with the rest o my body.

Snape refused to leave the camp I was in until I died. We both knew it woul be soon.

I was asleep, feverdreaming of a life without the everpresent threat of death, when the sweet melody woke me up. Mi's locket was singing loudly, louder than I had ever heard it, I opened it, and the familiar Otter Patronus flew out.

I listened to her message, too weak to reply, too weak to tell her she was too late. I listened to the melody throughout the night, he love playing me a sweet lullabye.

AN/:

So it looks like ill be writing a sequel, I think. Yeah. Look out for it, ill try to have it up in the next week. That you all for your continued support! 333


	25. Epilogue

EPILOGUE

AN/: So this is it! I started to write out a plot line for a sequel, but decided it didn't really work... So here's the epilogue... I'm sorry XD

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

The war was over. We had found Ginny, and killed Voldemort. Snape had came out of hiding, alone, a few weeks after we won. He was alone.

He brought me to a place in the Forest of Dean, overlooking a river, with a beautiful view. There was a tombstone there.

My locket lay on top of the freshly upturned dirt, faintly singing. He loved me, he loved me still.

"Draco," I whispered, sifting a handful of dirt through my fingers, "Draco I'm so sorry..."

Silent tears ran rivers down my face as I kneeled over his unmarked grave.

At dusk, Fred found me, and pulled me away. I never returned, but I kept the locket around my neck for the rest of my life.

~^~^~DRACO~^~^~

"P-Professor," I whispered hoarsely, "This is it."

He nodded, coming closer to my cot, "Be still. What do you need?"

"Te-tell her. Tell her I'm sorry."

As I faded in and out of life, I saw my mother standing by my side. She reached her hand out to me, a sad smile on her face, tears in her eyes. I touched her palm and the rotting pain faded away, faded into nothingness. I left into the blinding white.

~^~^~HERMIONE~^~^~

"You know what today is, Love," Fred asked me, a smile on his face, "Our 10-year anniversary!"

I smiled hugely, pecking him on the cheek and carrying Abraxia into the twin's bedroom. Georgia was already in there, asleep. They were 3 years old, four in a few weeks, such pills. I loved them...

"I don't know HOW you managed to convince Fleur to watch these two tonight," I said to him in a hushed voice, "She has no idea what she's getting into!"

He chuckled softly, pulling me into our bedroom.

"Nap time?" He asked, my favorite one-sided grin on his face as he hid under the covers, pulling me with.

"Mmmm, sure," I murmured, cuddling up close to him.

Fred was amazing. A caring, loving father, he and I kept the shop running strong. We had been married for ten years today, and I had never been happier. Well, almost never. But he was amazing, and I loved him. I still wore the locket, and Fred understood, he supported me. He knew that letting go of that last little shred would be like letting go of who I was, so he didn't pressure me or dislike it. I loved him so much, so so much, for accepting me. Even as damaged goods, he still loved me. He still loved me, and he always would.

I remembered when he first kissed me, when we danced at Harry and Ginny's wedding. I was the Maid of Honor, in my dark purple dress, and he and I danced the whole time. At the end of the night, we were saying goodbye, I was blushing and admitting to myself that I would miss him, and he pulled me into the least expected kiss of my life. We had been together ever since.

We got married about a year and a half after, and had our only son, Luke, a year after that. Georgia and Abraxia came five years later, and here we were, still happy together.

That day when I visited Draco's headstone was one of the darkest days of my life, and he stood by me for all of it. He loved me through it, stopped me from joining Draco on the other side of the veil. He had seen me at my worst, saved me from my worst. He was always the bright light, shining straight through to my heart. Fred was amazing.

Some days, I missed Draco. Not so much what we were, as we weren't much- more like I missed what we could have been. But most days, I was happy, content to work in the shop and raise my babies.

I was happy.


End file.
